Yao Mugen

Yao Mugen (; born November 1957) is a former Chinese politician from Jiangxi province. He served as Vice-Governor of Jiangxi from 2011 to 2014, and prior to that Chairman of the Jiangxi Development and Reform Commission, a provincial body with broad powers over the economy. He was removed from his posts and investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in March 2014.

Biography Yao was born into a family of farmers and was raised in Ganzhu village, located near the city of Zhangshu, Jiangxi province. His father was a one-time village Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary (essentially, the leader of the village). He was the first of three children. He graduated from Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics in 1986, where he majored in economics.

After graduation, Yao worked in Jiangxi Planning Commission. It was said that Yao's investigation was a harbinger for the fate of former Jiangxi party chief Su Rong (term in Jiangxi 2007–2013) under whom Yao's career had flourished. Indeed, on June 14, 2014, Su Rong, who had then rose to become vice-chairman of the national legislative advisory body, was himself detained for investigation.

On August 6, 2014, following the CCDI investigation, state media announced Yao's expulsion from the Chinese Communist Party. Yao was said to have abused his power for the illicit gain of others and taken bribes personally and through his family. Yao was arrested and arraigned by the Supreme People's Procuratorate. He was indicted on charges of bribery, then tried in the Intermediate People's Court in Xiamen.

On December 18, 2015, Yao Mugen was sentenced to 13-year jail and confiscate personal property worth 3 million yuan (~$463,000) for taking bribes worth 23 million yuan by the court.

Family Yao had two younger brothers, both of whom were also officials; one was a county party chief, another worked for a local prosecution agency.

Yao was married to Yi Anping , who was also detained for investigation. Yi was widely rumoured in Jiangxi province to also be a major shareholder of two listed companies headquartered in Jiangxi, though this has not been conclusively proven. A local resident being interviewed about the Yao case remarked, "there's rumours flying around everywhere about this... at least get a stranger to open up an account on your behalf [so it's not suspicious], it's ridiculous to think that he would let his wife take this on personally."