A Chinese court sentenced Zhou Xianwang, the former mayor of Wuhan, to 14 years in prison on charges of accepting bribes, the court announced on Thursday. Zhou was found guilty of leveraging his official positions for personal gain over a period spanning from 2003 to May 2025.

The ruling, delivered by the Shangqiu Intermediate People’s Court in Henan Province, stated that Zhou used his authority to assist various individuals and organizations in securing engineering contracts, facilitating business operations, and obtaining administrative approvals. He accepted bribes totaling more than 60.5 million yuan (approximately $9 million) in both money and property. In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of 5 million yuan.

Zhou’s tenure as mayor of Wuhan—the capital of Hubei Province—attracted international attention as the city was the initial epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. He held the mayoral position during the critical early months of the outbreak and went on to serve as vice chairman of a provincial committee affiliated with China’s top political advisory body from 2021 to 2023.

The case is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign initiated by President Xi Jinping, who has pursued a rigorous crackdown on graft within the Communist Party since taking office a decade ago. Supporters of the campaign argue that it has improved governance and public trust by rooting out corrupt officials. However, critics contend that the efforts have also been used to sideline political rivals and consolidate Xi’s power.

The investigation into Zhou began in July of last year, culminating in this latest conviction which underscores the continued intensity of the government’s focus on corruption among senior officials.