Guo Meimei charged for gambling scheme

Guo Meimei, the 23-year-old woman who dragged the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) into a credibility crisis three years ago, was officially charged Wednesday on suspicion of operating an illegal casino, a Beijing procuratorate announced.

The People's Procuratorate in Dongcheng district on Wednesday approved the arrest request submitted by the Dongcheng branch of the capital's public security bureau after a week of review. Investigation of the case is still undergoing.

Guo was detained by police on July 14 for allegedly participating in and organizing gambling activities during the World Cup. She is one of eight alleged members of the gang.

The group opened an account on an overseas gambling website where people could place bets through their phones or social networks.The crime of "opening casinos" refers to establishing venues (including websites), setting up rules and providing tools and funds to people for profit.

If convicted, Guo could be sentenced to a prison terms of up to three years, as well as fined. The punishment could be increased to between three and 10 years if the prosecutors decide her actions were "serious."