Former senior political advisor sentenced to 13 years for graft

NANCHANG - Si Xinliang, a former senior political advisor in East China's Zhejiang Province, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for accepting bribes amounting to nearly 20 million yuan (around $2.9 million) by a court in Jiangxi province on Tuesday.

Personal assets worth 2 million yuan belonging to Si, formerly vice chairman of the Zhejiang provincial committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, were confiscated, according to a statement from Jiujiang City Intermediate People's Court.

His ill-gotten gains must be turned over to the state, the court ruled.

Si was found guilty of taking advantage of his positions to seek profits for companies and individuals in real estate development, corporate development and job promotions between 2001 and 2014, it said.

He accepted bribes worth about 19.55 million yuan either by himself or via his wife Jin Huifang.

The court issued a lesser punishment as Si admitted his crimes and voluntarily turned over his illicit gains.

Si was ousted from the Communist Party of China in June 2015 after an internal probe found he had accepted bribes, played golf at the expense of others and committed adultery.