EXVICE MINISTER GETS LIFE SENTENCE Ma Jian,

former Vice Minister of State Security, was sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes including bribery, forcing others to trade and insider trading, the Dalian Intermediate People’s Court in northeast Liaoning Province announced on December 27, 2018.

Ma was placed under investigation for serious violations of Party discipline in January 2015. In December 2016, he was expelled from the Party and removed from his post.

The Dalian court held his trial in private on August 16, 2018, as it involved state secrets. Ma had used his post to help Guo Wengui, one of China’s most wanted fugitives, and Beijing Zhengquan Holdings, which Guo controlled, make profits. He had taken bribes worth over 109 million yuan ($15.9 million) in the process. Ma had also made over 49.29 million yuan ($7.2 million) by stock trading based on insider information.

Ma became vice minister of state security in 2006.