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| Anticorruption Campaign in China Snares Former Top Party Official | Anticorruption Campaign in China Snares Former Top Party Official |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| BEIJING — Chinese prosecutors have charged one of the Communist Party’s top former officials, Ling Jihua, with taking bribes, illegally obtaining state secrets and abuse of power, according to a report on Friday by Xinhua, the state news agency. | BEIJING — Chinese prosecutors have charged one of the Communist Party’s top former officials, Ling Jihua, with taking bribes, illegally obtaining state secrets and abuse of power, according to a report on Friday by Xinhua, the state news agency. |
| Mr. Ling is one of the highest-ranking officials to be taken down under the sweeping anticorruption campaign run by President Xi Jinping and his ally, Wang Qishan, who manages the party agency in charge of discipline and inspection. | Mr. Ling is one of the highest-ranking officials to be taken down under the sweeping anticorruption campaign run by President Xi Jinping and his ally, Wang Qishan, who manages the party agency in charge of discipline and inspection. |
| The announcement said the indictment was filed in a court in Tianjin, a city southeast of Beijing, but it did not say when a trial might be held. If recent history is a guide, Mr. Ling will almost certainly be convicted of the crimes and have to serve a long prison sentence. | The announcement said the indictment was filed in a court in Tianjin, a city southeast of Beijing, but it did not say when a trial might be held. If recent history is a guide, Mr. Ling will almost certainly be convicted of the crimes and have to serve a long prison sentence. |
| Under the previous president and Communist Party chief, Hu Jintao, Mr. Ling rose to be the head of the General Office, which handles administrative matters for the party chief and other senior officials. He was the equivalent of the White House chief of staff. | Under the previous president and Communist Party chief, Hu Jintao, Mr. Ling rose to be the head of the General Office, which handles administrative matters for the party chief and other senior officials. He was the equivalent of the White House chief of staff. |
| Mr. Ling’s downfall began after party leaders discovered in 2012 that he had tried to hide that his son, Ling Gu, 23, had died in a car crash in Beijing. Salacious details of the crash became commonplace in Beijing political circles: Two young women in the Ferrari were injured, and one later died. | Mr. Ling’s downfall began after party leaders discovered in 2012 that he had tried to hide that his son, Ling Gu, 23, had died in a car crash in Beijing. Salacious details of the crash became commonplace in Beijing political circles: Two young women in the Ferrari were injured, and one later died. |
| Mr. Ling was moved to a lesser post as head of the United Front Work Department ahead of schedule, and internal party conflicts over his actions weakened Mr. Hu, who was working out details of the transfer of power to Mr. Xi that year. | Mr. Ling was moved to a lesser post as head of the United Front Work Department ahead of schedule, and internal party conflicts over his actions weakened Mr. Hu, who was working out details of the transfer of power to Mr. Xi that year. |
| Talk began circulating that Mr. Ling had also engaged in shadowy dealings with Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai, two other senior party officials who were facing corruption investigations. Political insiders in China said senior officials were mentioning all three men as enemies of Mr. Xi. Both Mr. Zhou and Mr. Bo have been convicted of corruption and are in prison. | Talk began circulating that Mr. Ling had also engaged in shadowy dealings with Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai, two other senior party officials who were facing corruption investigations. Political insiders in China said senior officials were mentioning all three men as enemies of Mr. Xi. Both Mr. Zhou and Mr. Bo have been convicted of corruption and are in prison. |
| In July 2015, the party announced that it had expelled Mr. Ling and removed him from public office because it said he had taken bribes, committed adultery and improperly hoarded a large amount of state and party “core secrets.” | In July 2015, the party announced that it had expelled Mr. Ling and removed him from public office because it said he had taken bribes, committed adultery and improperly hoarded a large amount of state and party “core secrets.” |
| The Chinese government has been asking the United States to return to China the youngest brother of Mr. Ling, Ling Wancheng, who has a $2.5 million mansion in California that was purchased from a professional basketball player in 2013. Ling Wancheng, also known as Wang Cheng or Jason Wang, could decide to seek asylum in the United States. If he does so, he could become one of the most high-profile defectors in the history of the Chinese Communist Party. | |
| In January, a Chinese official, Liu Jianchao, who was then in the party’s anticorruption and discipline agency, said that China was “dealing” with the case of the youngest brother and “had undertaken communication with the United States.” | In January, a Chinese official, Liu Jianchao, who was then in the party’s anticorruption and discipline agency, said that China was “dealing” with the case of the youngest brother and “had undertaken communication with the United States.” |