"Hand Over More Money": Former Government Official Couple Exposed for Hiding Hundreds of Millions During Divorce Lawsuit

Exposure of Hidden Assets During 22.4 Billion-Won Property Division
Court: "No Reasonable Explanation," Case Referred to Investigators
Up to 10 Years in Prison if Convicted of Embezzlement or Bribery

A former government official couple in China became a hot topic after exposing each other's hidden assets during a division lawsuit involving hundreds of millions of won in assets, leading to anti-corruption investigations by the authorities.

On June 6, local media outlets such as China News Weekly and Caixin reported that a retired government official surnamed Wang filed a lawsuit against his ex-wife, surnamed Zhang, demanding the division of 14 real estate properties valued at 98.7 million yuan (approximately 22.6 billion won).

Wang retired as a vice president at China Energy Investment Corporation in 2016 after working at China State Railway Group and other state-owned enterprises, while Zhang had worked as a police officer. The couple married in 1976 and agreed to divorce in 2007, but reportedly did not finalize the division of their joint assets at that time. Previously, Wang had filed a property division lawsuit against Zhang seeking 140 million yuan (about 32 billion won), but the claim amount was adjusted when the case was transferred from Jiangsu Province to Shanghai.

A former government official couple in China became the subject of attention after exposing each other's hidden assets during a property division lawsuit involving hundreds of millions of won, leading to an anti-corruption investigation by the authorities. Getty Images

As the trials continued, the property dispute devolved into a mudslinging battle with each party exposing the other's hidden assets. The court hearings cited high-value real estate, bank deposits, trust funds, loans, receivables, asset management products, and various commission incomes.

There were also suspicions that some of the assets could be related to corruption, such as bribery or embezzlement. Wang alleged that Zhang received more than 30 million yuan in brokerage commissions from Baoyu Coal Transport and Marketing Company between 1997 and 2007. In response, Zhang disclosed Wang's asset details and mentioned the existence of claims against third parties.

As a result, the Shanghai Putuo District People's Court ultimately dismissed the property division lawsuit, finding that the couple's declared income and assets did not match and that neither party could provide a reasonable explanation for the formation of their assets. The case was subsequently referred to anti-corruption investigative agencies, including the police and the Communist Party's Discipline Inspection Commission. This action was taken in accordance with Supreme People's Court guidelines, which require the transfer of relevant evidence to investigative authorities if economic crime is suspected.

China News Weekly reported that if either embezzlement or bribery charges are confirmed in the future, both individuals could face up to 10 years in prison.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.