Ma Xingrui, a former member of China's top decision-making body, has been formally charged with accepting exceptionally large bribes in Hubei province.
Ma Xingrui, a 67-year-old former member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has been formally indicted on charges of accepting bribes, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
Prosecutors in Yichang, located in the central province of Hubei, have filed the case with the Yichang Intermediate People's Court. According to Xinhua, the case was transferred to the People's Procuratorate of Yichang following an investigation by the National Commission of Supervision.
Prosecutors allege that Ma used his leadership positions and the authority afforded to him to seek benefits for others and to illegally accept "exceptionally large" bribes and financial assets. Specifically, prosecutors claim Ma abused his influence in several roles, including:
Ma's downfall began in April 2026, when authorities stated he was under investigation for "severe violations of party discipline and national laws," according to the Associated Press. In July, he was expelled from the Communist Party and dismissed from public office.
At the time of his expulsion, anti-corruption authorities stated Ma had "seriously violated Party discipline and failed to fulfill his responsibilities for enforcing strict Party governance." According to China Daily, authorities also alleged Ma had "turned a blind eye to serious misconduct and suspected crimes involving members of his staff," concealed information during inquiries, and used his influence to help relatives buy properties at below-market prices.
Ma's career included roles as the Party secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region until 2025 and deputy head of the Leading Group for Rural Affairs of the CPC Central Committee. He also held various positions in the aerospace sector, including roles at the China Academy of Space Technology.
Ma is the latest senior official to be targeted in a long-running anti-corruption campaign by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. During a recent closed-door meeting of the Central Committee’s fifth plenum, leaders adopted a resolution on strengthening discipline and combating corruption, which included ratifying the expulsions of more than 30 senior officials.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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