Accused Red Cross official kills himself

An official accused of abusing Red Cross funds committed suicide at home in Hanzhong, Northwest China's Shaanxi province on Monday morning.

The 44-year-old former deputy head of Hanzhong Red Cross office, who also took charge of medical affairs section, used a sharp tool to wound his groin area, the autopsy showed, bursting the artery.

He had died of hemorrhagic shock, Hanzhong publicity office confirmed to the news portal chinanews.com.

City disciplinary authorities suspected the official surnamed Zhang had embezzled 10 million yuan ($1.64 million) in public funds and began to investigate his case on August 20.

Zhang on November 17, 2010 allegedly deposited Red Cross funds into a company operated by his younger brother. Eight days later, he returned the money to the Red Cross.

Hanzhong city procurators began to investigate Zhang's case on September 3 and placed him in criminal custody on September 4.

He was released on bail on September 14. The investigation was completed on October 16.

Zhang's case was submitted to the city's intermediate people's court on November 21.

This is not the first time the Red Cross has come under public scrutiny in China.

In May 2013, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) said that it spent 84.72 million yuan ($13.74 million) raised by artists after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake on other projects, after artist organizers complained their donations never made it to the town it was intended for, the Global Time reported earlier.

The RCSC admitted it didn't do enough to communicate with donors.