Former economic fugitive jailed for embezzlement, corruption

Sun Xin, previously one of China's most-wanted economic fugitives, stands trial at Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court on July 26, 2016. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A Beijing court sentenced Sun Xin, previously one of China's most-wanted economic fugitives, to 14 years and six months in prison for embezzlement and corruption on Tuesday.

Sun, 48, was also fined 200,000 yuan ($29,959), Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court said.

Sun transferred more than 22 million yuan ($3.3 million) of public money to his private accounts from July 2001 to January 2008, when he worked as a cashier for what was then the Beijing Bureau of Press and Publication, the court said.

He also made fake bank contracts and took some of the public money to flee to Southeast Asia after being removed from his post in late 2008, it added

Sun was brought back from Cambodia on June 8, 2015 after being on the run for almost seven years.

He is the first to be tried and punished among three fugitives returned last year. His case was heard on July 6.

Sun Xin, previously one of China's most-wanted economic fugitives, stands trial at Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court on July 26, 2016. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]