Former Jiangxi political adviser jailed for 13 years for bribery

Hu Youtao, a former senior political adviser from Jiangxi province, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for bribery by the Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court in Zhejiang province on Monday.

The court also fined Hu 3 million yuan ($448,245) and ordered the confiscation of his illicit gains, which will be turned over to the state treasury.

According to the court, Hu exploited his positions in Jiangxi from 1997 to 2025 to secure benefits for departments and individuals in areas including project contracting, business operations and personnel appointments. In return, he accepted bribes totaling more than 43.64 million yuan.

The court said the amount involved was "extremely large", warranting a severe punishment. However, it granted Hu leniency because he voluntarily disclosed some bribery activities that investigators had not uncovered, confessed to his crimes and actively returned his illicit gains.

Public records show that Hu, 71, is a native of Jiangxi and joined the Communist Party of China in 1986. He held several key positions in the province, including director of the provincial finance department and vice-governor.

Hu served as vice-chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from 2015 until his retirement in 2018.

He was placed under disciplinary and supervisory investigation in June 2025 and expelled from the CPC by the end of that year.

Hu was charged with bribery in May and pleaded guilty at a court hearing in July. The hearing was attended by more than 30 people, including national lawmakers, political advisers and local residents.