Another 28 sentenced in central China prostitution cases

ZHENGZHOU -- A central China court sentenced 28 people to prison on Wednesday for involvement in prostitution and illegal cigarette sales in a nightclub, days after 11 were jailed for organizing prostitution.

Their sentences range from one year to eight years, according to Hongqi District Court in Xinxiang city, Henan province. They were also fined from 10,000 yuan ($1,600) to 80,000 yuan each.

Of the 28 convicted, 20 were found guilty of organizing illegal sex at the Royal No.1 Nightclub in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, while seven were involved in assisting the organizers. Another was convicted of selling cigarettes to make profits without authorization, the court said.

On Monday, the Xinxiang Intermediate People's Court sentenced Chen Jiagui and Wang Guofu, two of the nightclub managers, to life in prison. Nine other defendants received sentences from ten to 15 years along with fines.

According to investigators, the nightclub employed more than 4,500 women before it was raided and forced to close on Nov. 1, 2013.