Corrupt Officials Flee China with Public Cash

In China, state media reported on Monday (Jan 11) that over the past 30 years more than 4,000 corrupt officials have fled the country—robbing the state coffers of some 50 billion U.S. dollars along the way.

These officials tend to “escape” while on business trips overseas, often relying on organized crime to launder their stolen cash and to obtain for them the necessary documents.

Chinese leader Hu Jintao has said the phenomenon threatens the existence of the CCP.

Attempts to bring the corrupt officials to trial in China have been frustrated by the fact that many countries do not have extradition treaties with China, and have been reluctant to hand people over to the Chinese justice system.