Transformation
After Nie was let out of prison again, he started to explore other ways to make money while still managing his shoe business.
Nie finally fixed his sights on real estate in the 1990s, when the market was experiencing a great boom. Through his networks, he raised a loan of tens of millions of yuan from a local urban credit cooperative, with interest as high as 30%.
The investment turned out to be a huge success, and earned Nie a fortune as well as considerable fame. After that, he began hobnobbing with various powerful figures in Qingdao.
As early as the mid 1990s, Nie became engaged in the recreational business, buying several bars and nightclubs, which were essentially casinos.
Such businesses did not last long, however, due to a nationwide crackdown on gambling and prostitution in 2000. In September that same year, Wan Guozhong took the fall for his son's leaking to nightclubs of a police anti-pornography plan.
Nie avoided involvement with Wan's case, however. Though many casinos were closed, Nie still made a lot of money and managed to maintain a better relationship with the police.
According to an unnamed source cited by China News Service, the recently imprisoned sheriffs Yu Guoming and Feng Yuexin once patrolled the areas under Nie's influence.
Powerful umbrella
Nie's nefarious deeds finally drew national and even international attention in March 2010 when a fight broke out at a five-star hotel where athletes from many countries were resting for an international springboard competition.
It also shocked the public that Nie's record at a local police station had been clean from 2000 to 2010, during which time he had in fact committed a long list of crimes.
Nie had been so meticulously protected that when police that were not on the take came after him, others risked their lives to help him escape.
Wang Xiaoqing, former vice head of the local Special Forces, had provided Nie with communication tools and houses, and even crashed his car against paddy wagons.
Nie was eventually captured in August 2010, but many believe there are more criminals involved in Nie's gang that are still at large.
