Four people were sentenced to between 15 and 24 months'
imprisonment yesterday in Shanghai for money laundering in the
first such case since the anti-money laundering law took effect in
January.
The Shanghai Hongkou District People's Court sentenced Pan Rumin
to two years in jail and fined him 60,000 yuan (US$8,000) for the
crime. Accomplices Zhu Suzhen, Li Daming and Gong Yuan were
sentenced to between 15 and 16 months in prison and fined 20,000
yuan each.
The case was the first in the country to turn on the new
anti-money laundering law. Before the law took effect, suspects in
money-laundering cases were charged with operating illegal
businesses or disordering financial markets.
The four parties had collectively laundered more than 1 million
yuan by withdrawing money and transferring funds over the Internet,
through ATMs and over the counter at bank branches.
The Shanghai branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of
China eventually grew suspicious, and police arrested the suspected
launderers in Hongkou on July 24 last year.
The authorities have been drawing up legislation to fight money
laundering. The National People's Congress Standing Committee
passed the new anti-money laundering law in October, last year.
(China Daily October 24, 2007)