Chinese Officials Said to Have Embezzled $20 Billion in Lottery Money

Communist Party anti-corruption agency denies reports of “inconvenient” figure

A Chinese man wears a mask to hide his identity as he recieves a mock check for 177 million yuan (26 million USD) after winning the jackpot in the China Sport lottery in Chongqing on July 5, 2011. STR/AFP/Getty Images

The Chinese Communist Party’s internal disciplinary agency has published videos showing the confessions of four senior officials implicated in a massive corruption case concerning China’s Welfare Lottery Center.

The confessions, released Nov. 9, have been followed by further reports that implicate a total of 14 officials in the embezzlement of 136 billion yuan ($20 billion).