Five plead guilty in case linked to fugitive Guo

Five suspects pleaded guilty in Dalian, Liaoning province, on Friday to embezzling funds and making use of their former work posts to help fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui illegally possess 400 million yuan ($60 million).

Xigang District People's Court in Dalian publicly heard the case, in which Qu Long, a member of the board of directors of Tianjin Huatai Holding Group Co, and Zhao Yun'an, former legal representative of Huatai, were charged with fund embezzlement. Gao Song, Ma Nan and Cheng Xiuhua, who worked for Beijing Pangu Investment, which was controlled by Guo, were charged with duty encroachment.

Based on a recommendation, Zhao's wife sought out Guo to help release Zhao, who was detained in May 2008 for other suspected crimes. Guo agreed to help, but asked Zhao to lend him 100 million yuan after he was freed, prosecutors of the district said.