Four Rio Tinto employees were found guilty of taking bribes and obtaining business secrets in a Shanghai court earlier today and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 7 to 14 years.

Australian citizen Stern Hu, former head of Rio Tinto's China sales office, was sentenced to 10 years in jail, along with a fine of 500,000 yuan and confiscation of 500,000 yuan worth of his personal property, by the Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court, the EO learned.

A source from Australia's Consulate in Shanghai said Stern Hu would serve his jail term in Shanghai and would be permitted to meet his family once a month.

Wang Yong was sentenced to 14 years in prison, personal property valued at 5 million yuan will also be confiscated from him and he was also fined 200,000 yuan. 

Ge Minqiang, was sentenced to an 8-years jail term, with 500,000 yuan of his property being confiscated and fined 300,000 yuan.

Liu Caikui will serve 7 years in prison, have personal property worth 300,000 yuan confiscated and fined 400,000 yuan.

So far there are no reports about whether lawyers for the four plan to lodge an appeal.

After the sentence was announced, Rio Tinto published a media release on its official website announcing that the company would "terminate the employment" of the four.

Chart of Sentence



Links and Sources

Economic Observer: 賄賂是行規(guī) 力拓案胡士泰獲刑10年(Chinese)
Rio Tinto: Shanghai Employees - Update 8