Top Chinese university President sentenced to life for graft

A former president of a top Chinese university was sentenced to life in prison today for bribery and embezzlement of public funds. Zhou Wenbin was found guilty of accepting cash and gifts worth over USD 3.24 million from companies and school staff while serving as president of East China Geological Institute and Nanchang University between 2002 and 2013, a statement from the Intermediate People's Court of Nanchang city.

In return, Zhou helped the companies win project bids and procurement contracts and helped school staff gain promotions, the statement said. He was also convicted of embezzling about $10 million of public funds from Nanchang University in Jiangxi province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Zhou, 55, became president of Nanchang University, the top university in the province, in late 2002. He was arrested in 2013.

Thousands of officials were either punished or faced probes in the massive anti-corruption drive launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping after he took over the leadership.