Li Zhen, the former director of the State Taxation...

Li Zhen, the former director of the State Taxation Bureau in China's northern Hebei province, was executed for taking huge bribes and embezzling public funds, state media reported. Court investigations showed Li took bribes totalling 8.1 million yuan (985,000 dollars) and misappropriated public funds totaling 29.67 million yuan (3.59 million dollars). Over 416,000 dollars of illicit money was found at his home when he was arrested in March 2000, the Xinhua news agency said. The Intermediate People's Court of Tangshan city sentenced Li to death at his trial in August 2002. His appeal to a higher court was rejected in October, after which the Supreme Court examined the case and upheld the original death sentence.