CCDI uncovers details of election fraud investigation in Hengyang

China's top disciplinary watchdog revealed the details of a large-scale election fraud in Hengyang, Central China's Hunan province on its website for two consecutive days.

The investigation of the fraud has nearly come to an end with Tong Mingqian, former Party chief of Hengyang, being sentenced to five years in prison for neglect of duty on Monday, according to articles published by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tong was implicated in the fraud, which involved more than 500 lawmakers in a legislature election between December 2012 and January 2013.

The investigation started in April 2013 found that most of the high ranking officials from the Hengyang people's congress had received bribes.

One candidate gave 2,000 yuan ($326) to each deputy and then offered them an extra 3,000 yuan to secure his position after being told that other candidates gave more money to the deputies.

"[Candidates who were] private entrepreneurs were among the first to bribe and many other candidates followed as they worried about losing," said one investigator.

Some bribes were recorded in code by staff working for lawmakers.

For instance, "FC" stands for 6,300 yuan, as "F" is the sixth letter and "C" is the third letter in the alphabet, one official said, according to the articles.

The lack of supervision by electoral authorities caused the scandal, said Chen Jian, head of a special team investigating the scandal.