A Chinese court has sentenced Shi Yongxin, the former abbot of the renowned Shaolin Temple, to 24 years in prison for corruption, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday. The court in Henan province also fined him 3.5 million yuan (about $516,000) after finding him guilty of misappropriation of funds and bribery.
The court determined that between 2003 and 2025, Shi illegally embezzled over 131 million yuan ($19 million), either alone or with others. He also misappropriated more than 151 million yuan ($22 million) for personal use for over three months without repayment between 2012 and 2022, according to CCTV.
The court described Shi's crimes as involving huge sums, with bribery offenses being particularly serious, and noted that his criminal conduct lasted a long time, causing severe harmful consequences and adverse social impact. Shi confessed, voluntarily disclosed unknown details, and showed remorse, CCTV added.
Last year, the Shaolin Temple announced an investigation into Shi for suspected misappropriation and embezzlement of project funds and temple assets. He was also accused of violating Buddhist precepts by maintaining relationships with multiple women and fathering at least one child.
