Suspect in sex tape scandal denies charges

Lei Zhengfu, a former official of Chongqing's Beibei district, stands trial on Wednesday in a court in the city. He denied charges of taking bribes. Provided to China Daily

A former official involved in a sex tape scandal denied charges of taking bribes on the first day of his trial on Wednesday.

Lei Zhengfu is accused of accepting 3.16 million yuan ($516,000) in bribes when he was Party chief of Chongqing's Beibei district, a post he held from 2007 until last year.

The 55-year-old became a household name after he appeared in a sex tape posted online in November.

He was removed from his post about three days later and detained by police on Feb 1.

At Chongqing No 1 Intermediate People's Court on Wednesday, Lei said he and Zhao Hongxia, the woman in the video, had sex three times in 2008. He said she was hired by Xiao Ye, a company manager, and they were filmed without his knowledge.

On Feb 14, 2008, when Lei was staying in a hotel room with the woman, a gang of men including Xiao broke into the room and showed the sex video to Lei. Lei agreed to loan Xiao 3 million yuan in exchange for his silence.

Prosecutors say Lei then asked Lin Yongzhi, the head of a construction company that had won many contracts for municipal projects from Lei, to lend the money to Xiao.

Lin lent 3 million yuan to Xiao, but Xiao only paid back 1 million yuan, the prosecutor said.

Lei told the court that he had fallen in love with Zhao, who asked him to get a divorce and marry her.

With the help of Xiao, Lei said he managed to persuade her to give up the idea of marriage.

The prosecutor said Lei helped Lin get a municipal project as a reward after Lin lent the money to Xiao.

Lei said that he was just performing duties to allow Lin to contract the government project.

Xiao has the ability to repay the money to Lin, but he refused to return the money, and Lei also told Lin not to claim the money back from Xiao, said the prosecutor.

In May, Xiao, together with five other suspects including Zhao, was prosecuted for allegedly blackmailing government officials.

Investigators found the group, led by Xiao, lured officials into having sex with women and secretly recorded their encounters in order to blackmail them from 2008 to 2009.

Ten government officials and general managers of State-owned enterprises in Chongqing were sacked in January for their involvement in the sex videos.

The prosecutor also accused Lei of accepting 165,000 yuan in bribes to promote officials and help a company get government projects.

Lu Lei, Lei's lawyer, refused to comment on the issue after the trial when asked by China Daily on Wednesday.

A verdict is pending.