Ex-head aide held in China graft case

BEIJING — Former President Hu Jintao’s top aide has been arrested on corruption charges, stripped of his party membership and removed from all government positions, China’s state media said Monday.

The ruling by the Communist Party’s Politburo came seven months after Ling Jihua was placed under internal investigation for disciplinary violations.

The Xinhua News Agency said the internal investigation found that Ling took huge amounts of money through bribery and used his position to seek benefits for others. It said Ling had allowed his family to benefit financially from his political influence. The report specifically said Ling’s wife, Gu Liping, received bribes and that her business activities benefited from Ling’s status. Gu was involved with nongovernment organizations on youth issues.

China Central Television said China’s top prosecuting office had arrested Ling, who would be prosecuted on corruption charges.

Ling, formerly head of the party’s general office under Hu, became well known in China in 2012 when his son crashed a Ferrari in Beijing with two nude or half-dressed women, according to various reports. Ling was accused of covering up the scandal.