Former village head sentenced to death for 21 crimes

Huang Dafa, a former village head and businessman in Hubei province, was sentenced to death on 21 charges, including organizing and leading a mafia-style organization, intentional injury and fraud, a local court announced Tuesday.

Huang, the ringleader of a mafia-style organization, was also deprived of political rights for life, with all of his personal assets confiscated, according to the ruling made by the Huanggang Intermediate People's Court in Hubei province.

Eleven other members of the group were given sentences ranging from 26 months to 13 years in prison, along with fines or confiscation of personal assets, based on the seriousness of their offenses, the ruling noted.

Illicit gains and related proceeds of the criminal organization were also confiscated and will be turned over to the State treasury, it added.

In China, a death sentence handed down by lower courts must be submitted to the Supreme People's Court, the country's top court, for review. The capital punishment can be carried out after the top court approves it.

Public records show that Huang, born in 1961, was elected head of Jinggang village in Wuhan, capital of Hubei, in 1995 and later became chairman of a local corporation engaged in various businesses, including livestock and agricultural farming, construction, real estate development, property management and entertainment.

After using business operations to repay village debts, Huang subsequently founded several companies spanning real estate, renovation and decoration, high- and low-voltage electrical work, landscaping and property management, among other sectors.

While expanding his commercial footprint, Huang and his associates faced numerous accusations involving violent demolitions, unlawful appropriation of farmers' private land, and organizing and participating in mafia-style crimes. In 2023, Huang was captured.