Gao Shan (2nd R) and his Wife Li Xue (C). [chinanews.cn]

Bank of China, the country's largest foreign exchange bank, confirmed in early 2005 that one of its sub-branches in Heilongjiang was involved in financial fraud.

The scandal emerged on January 15 when Northeast Expressway, a Shanghai-listed A-share company, announced that 290 million yuan ($37.17 million) of shareholders' funds deposited with the branch was missing.

Gao, director of a division of the branch, reportedly vanished following the disappearance of the money.

Deposits by other companies, amounting to as much as 700 million yuan ($89.74 million), also vanished.

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