Politics
23:54, 15-Jul-2017
China’s top fugitive used falsified data to spread misinformation
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A police investigation found that Guo Wengui, one of China's most-wanted fugitives, had used fabricated and distorted information created by two men to mislead the public.
Chen Xiangjun, 43, and Zong Zuoling 32, both unemployed, confessed that they had offered to give Guo fake information in exchange for money, according to Chinese police.
Last month, Guo spread misinformation about a relative of a senior Chinese official, saying he purportedly controlled 20 trillion yuan (about 3 trillion US dollars) in assets at several firms, and had “proof from senior officials”.
It turned out that Guo's so-called proof was all fake business data created by Chen, who received 50,000 yuan in payment for the information.
"I sent him fake information to win his trust, and he asked me to uncover more information on relatives of senior officials so that he could reveal it overseas," said Chen.
Guo gave out his personal social media accounts online and promised to pay informants, according to the police.
Zong, who had less than five yuan (about 1 US dollar) in his bank account and 90,000 yuan in credit card debt when the police captured him, claimed to know the secretaries of senior officials.
Chat records showed Guo promised to give Zong two million yuan in exchange for information about Zhang Yue, a former provincial-level official in north China's Hebei Province.
"Guo told me that he was engaged in anti-graft work," said Zong. "He criticized me for not giving him accurate information, but still released the fake information I gave him."
Guo, the actual controlling shareholder of Beijing Pangu Investment and Beijing Zenith Holdings, fled China under the suspicion of multiple crimes in August 2014 and is currently listed on an Interpol "red notice" for wanted fugitives.
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