Chinese sentences ex-boss of Interpol to 13 years for bribes

BEIJING (AP) — China has sentenced the former president of Interpol Meng Hongwei to 13 years and six months in prison on charges of accepting bribes.

Meng was elected president of the international police organization in 2016, but his four-year term was cut short when he vanished after traveling to China from France last October.

Interpol was not informed and was forced to make a formal request to China for information about Meng’s whereabouts amid suspicion he had fallen out of political favor with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Meng’s wife, who remains in France with their two children, has accused Chinese authorities of lying and questioned whether her husband was still alive.

The notice Tuesday from the No. 1 Intermediary Court in the northern city of Tianjin said Meng accepted the verdict and would not appeal.

The Tianjin court said Meng had abused his positions, including as a vice minister of public security and maritime police chief, to curry favor for others in return for bribes.

Meng had already been fired from his positions and expelled from the Communist Party.

While serving at Interpol, Meng retained his title as China’s vice minister of public security.