Former Chinese senior finance official jailed for life over nearly $18 million in bribes

A former senior Chinese finance official has been sentenced to life in prison after a court found that he illegally amassed more than 93.4 million yuan through bribery.

Wang Jianjun, 58, served as vice-chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission from 2021 to 2025. The commission oversees the country’s financial markets, including stock and bond trading and company listings.

A court in eastern Shandong province said Wang used his positions between 2005 and 2019 to secure benefits for entities and individuals involved in company listings, corporate financing and the awarding of contracts. He received assets and funds directly or through third parties, the court said. The amount was equivalent to nearly US$14 million, or S$17.6 million.

The court said Wang admitted the facts and expressed remorse before receiving the life sentence. His case comes as China’s anti-corruption campaign, maintained by President Xi Jinping since he took office in late 2012, has brought down large numbers of officials. In recent years, the campaign has expanded further into banking and finance.