A high-profile former media executive was sentenced by a Shanghai court on Thursday to four years in prison for blackmailing companies by threatening negative coverage and forcing financial transactions.

Shen Hao, former president of 21st Century Media Co, was sentenced by the Pudong New District People's Court. On top of the jail time, he was fined 60,000 yuan ($9,266), and his illicit gains will be taken back.

In addition, the media group was fined 9.49 million yuan.

The court said the media group and Shen coerced nine companies and organizations, including Sichuan Langjiu Group Co, into paying more than 7.28 million yuan to avoid negative reports from August 2009 to September 2014.

The media group made use of the fear of negative coverage by companies that were poised for IPOs or in the process of asset restructuring, asking for money by withdrawing or deleting the related reports, the court said.

A network of media and advertising companies controlled by 21st Century Media also participated in the scheme, the court said.

The judgment said the media group and Shen, together with companies they controlled, forced 70 companies and organizations to sign advertising contracts worth 18.97 million yuan between December 2009 and August 2014, by threatening negative publicity or hinting that failure to advertise on media platforms could lead to failed IPOs.

"Shen played an important role - the organizer - in blackmailing the companies", and he was also directly involved, breaching the Criminal Law, the court said in convicting him of extortion.

The case also involved 30 other defendants, who had been convicted on different charges, such as bribery and dereliction of duty. Those individuals received sentences ranging from 18 months to 10 1/2 years in prison on Thursday.

The other defendants were also fined from 5,443 yuan to 30,000 yuan.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/25/2015 page4)