Former official expelled from Party amidst wealth flaunting scandal

The grandfather of the netizen with the account "Arctic Catfish" who flaunted her wealth on the internet and claimed her family had a 9-figure savings was expelled from the Party as the Shenzhen Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision on Tuesday made an announcement regarding the long-standing attention-grabbing "Arctic Catfish" incident.

According to the statement, Zhong Gengci, the former director of the freight management sub-bureau of the Shenzhen Municipal Transportation Bureau was found to be disloyal and dishonest to the Communist Party of China as he repeatedly colluded to obstruct organizational reviews, engaged in illicit activities to accumulate wealth, took unauthorized part-time jobs for personal gain, and accepted property from others in exchange for using his position for their benefit.

The statement emphasized that Zhong's actions seriously violated the political and integrity disciplines of the CPC and constituted a grave breach of duty, warranting severe punishment.

And in accordance with relevant regulations, the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection decided to expel Zhong from the CPC, lower his retirement treatment to that of a second-level clerk, and confiscate any ill-gotten gains obtained through his violations.

Seven months ago, the internet user known as "Arctic Catfish" attracted public attention by making comments suggesting her grandfather and their family's involvement in corruption and flaunting their wealth, including claims of a nine-digit family income and connections to leaders.

Although Sina Weibo had suspended Arctic Catfish's account, screenshots of her past posts have been widely shared on other social media platforms.

In response to the allegations, Zhong in March denied the nine-digit family income and stated that his family had earned their wealth honestly. The Shenzhen Municipal Transportation Bureau, Zhong's former employer, then issued a statement confirming that they had initiated an investigation into the matter on March 24.

Public records showed that Zhong was born in 1947 and had served in various positions within the Shenzhen Municipal Transportation Bureau, including deputy director and director of the Futian Branch, director of the Luohu Branch, and director of the Freight Management Sub-bureau. He retired in November 2007.

Chen Zhigang, a researcher at the Institute of Marxism of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that in recent years, corruption has become more hidden and complex.

"But we should always emphasize the importance of persisting in the fight against corruption despite the challenges faced," Chen added.

Wang Tianhuai in Shenzhen contributed to this story.