China’s “Beautiful Governor” Jailed for Having Sex With 58 Staffs And Corruption

A female official in China has been punished to spend 13 years in prison and was fined one million yuan (approximately Rs 1.18 crore) for misconduct.

The jailed official identified as Zhong Yang was popularly known as “the beautiful governor” for her looks. She was posted as the governor and deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Qiannan prefecture, Guizhou province, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP).

She has been accused of having sexual relations with 58 male subordinates and accepting nearly 60 million yuan in bribes.

The 52-year-old joined the Communist Party at the age of 22. She rose to the rank of deputy in the National People’s Congress (NPC).

In January, Guizhou Radio and Television made a documentary on controversies involving Zhong. Zhong was alleged to have accepted bribes to ensure that companies she favoured received lucrative contracts, under the pretext of government investment. She approved the development of land in a high-tech industrial estate for a businessman with whom she had a close relationship.

She has also been accused of engaging in affairs with 58 male subordinates. Some reportedly chose to be her lover due to the advantages she offered, while others did so reluctantly fearing her authority. Zhong allegedly spent time with her lovers under the pretext of working overtime or going on business trips.

Zhong was arrested in April 2023. In September, she was expelled from the CPC and lost her position in the National People’s Congress.