A Chinese court on Monday sentenced former Nanjing economic development official Yang Yulin to death after finding him guilty of taking bribes worth more than 2.21 billion yuan, or about $325 million, over a three-decade period.In addition to bribery, Yang was convicted of embezzlement, offering bribes, misuse of public funds, abuse of power and money laundering, making it one of China’s largest corruption cases in recent years in terms of the amount involved.The Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangsu province said Yang accepted illegal payments between 1993 and 2023 in exchange for helping individuals and companies secure projects, business opportunities, land allocations and financial aid.According to the court, the bribes were paid in exchange for assistance in “projects, business operations, land grants and working capital”.The court also said Yang “illegally obtained assets” worth more than 2.21 billion yuan ($325 million) during the investigation period.Yang came under scrutiny as part of President Xi Jinping’s long-running anti-corruption campaign, which critics argue has also been used to sideline Xi’s political opponents.During the proceedings, Yang admitted wrongdoing and expressed regret for his actions.The court said Yang made a final statement in which he “expressed his guilt and remorse.”According to the court, public hearings in the case took place over two days in March and April and were attended by more than 30 people.The verdict also ordered the confiscation of Yang’s personal assets, while directing officials to recover the entire amount received through bribes.Yang is among several senior Chinese officials sentenced to death in corruption cases in recent years.In 2021, Lai Xiaomin, a former Communist Party secretary of a state-owned financial company, was sentenced to death after being convicted of bribery, embezzlement and bigamy.Recently, in 2024, former Inner Mongolia official Li Jianping was hanged after being found guilty of embezzlement and bribery.