Net goes ape over corrupt Beijing Zoo official

A former deputy director of the Beijing Zoo was prosecuted for corruption charges involving more than 14 million yuan ($2.26 million), a Beijing court announced on Wednesday.

The case prompted disbelief among Net users as how an official at a city zoo could amass such an ill-gotten fortune.

Xiao Shaoxiang, who was also appointed as head of Xicheng district's Taoranting Park management division in 2009, was accused of accepting bribes and fabricating renovation invoices, qianglong.com reported on Wednesday.

Xiao oversaw renovation projects in both Beijing Zoo and Taorangting Park between 2005 and 2012.

News of corruption scandals continue to captivate Chinese netizens as authorities boost anti-graft campaign efforts.

As of Tuesday afternoon, news of an official inquiry "for grave violations of discipline" into Zhou Yongkang, a former member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, prompted more than 30 million posts on Sina Weibo.

Most Net users marveled how Xiao, a minor official, was able to profit so much.

Many joked about how the zoo's animals "appear quite thin" due to the misdirected money, while others said the case is an example of the pervasiveness of corruption.