What’s new: The president of China’s first intellectual property court has been expelled from the Communist Party by graft busters who found that he was involved in improper sexual behavior and broke the law as a law enforcement officer.
Su Chi, former president and ex-party chief of the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, illegally accepted money and valuables to do favors for others, according to a statement published by the capital’s discipline inspection commission on Tuesday. The 66-year-old will face criminal charges.
The statement did not elaborate on the improper sexual behavior.
The background: Authorities announced Su was under investigation for graft nearly five years after he retired in August 2022, during an intensified crackdown on corruption in law enforcement and the judiciary.
A source familiar with the probe told Caixin at the time that Su had almost been caught in a corruption scandal over a decade earlier.
A native of Beijing, Su was admitted into Peking University in 1977 to study law. After graduation he joined the local court system, rising through the ranks to become a leading figure once described as brave, professional and a capable manager. In 2013, he became vice president of a local intermediate court. The next year, he was appointed head of the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, the first such court in China, a post he retained until he retired three years later.
Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)
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