Ex-cyberspace official charged with corruption

Peng Bo, a former senior cyberspace official, has been charged by prosecutors with taking large bribes to control negative information on the internet for others by taking advantage of his positions, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Monday.

It said in a statement that the National Supervisory Commission has concluded its investigation into the alleged corruption of Peng, former deputy head of the office of the central leading group on the prevention and handling of cult-related issues. He was put under investigation in March.

Peng had also previously served as the deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China.

The People's Procuratorate of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, has filed an indictment against him, the SPP said.

Prosecutors accused Peng of taking advantage of his positions to help others in business operations and in controlling negative online information, it said.

In return he accepted huge amounts of bribes from others and he should be investigated for criminal responsibility for taking bribes, the statement said.

Peng was expelled from the Communist Party of China for breaches of Party discipline, the disciplinary authorities said in August.

An investigation found that he had given up his principles and beliefs, and he was disloyal to the Party, according to a statement issued by the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.

Peng deviated from the CPC's decision to defend the Party's ideologies and beliefs on the internet, and he had failed to properly oversee cyberspace in that regard, it said.