A Chinese court has sentenced businessman Liu Han to death for organising a mafia-style crime ring and murder. The verdict was delivered by a court in Hubei province, which also found Liu's brother, Liu Wei, guilty of similar charges.
Liu Han, the former head of mining conglomerate Sichuan Hanlong Group, was ranked 148th on Forbes' list of richest Chinese business people in 2012. He and his brother were among 36 people charged with crimes including illegal detention and harming others.
The court stated that the group relied on 'the cover-ups and collusion of government employees' to illegally control gaming machines in Guanghan, Sichuan province. Liu is believed to have links to former security chief Zhou Yongkang, who is reportedly under investigation for corruption.
The case could lead to criminal proceedings against Zhou, which would be the most serious political corruption case in China's communist history, according to the BBC's China Editor Carrie Gracie. Several officials linked to Zhou have already come under scrutiny.
