A former Chinese official and fugitive has been extradited to Los Angeles from Sweden for allegedly laundering millions of dollars of stolen money, the U. …
A former Chinese official and fugitive has been extradited to Los Angeles from Sweden for allegedly laundering millions of dollars of stolen money, the U. S. Department of Justice said on June 1.
Prosecutors held Qiao Jianjun,56, in federal custody over the weekend for five charges, including international transport of stolen money, immigration fraud, and “engaging in financial transactions in criminally derived property.”
If convicted, Qiao could spend a maximum of 55 years in federal prison.
Qiao, also known as Li Feng, is the former head of a state-owned Chinese grain storehouse, the Zhoukou Municipal Grain Reserve in Henan Province. He was on the run in Sweden for over five years from the U. S. and Chinese prosecutors.
Also called Sinograin, the Beijing-headquartered company manages the country’s grain reserves, according to the company’s official website.
Food security is considered a national security issue by Chinese authorities. State-run food companies fill warehouses with grain purchased from local farmers, and prices are kept low with subsidies from the central government.
