李东哲 Lost in a Gamble With Beijing

choi

James T Areddy, 一名海外中国逃犯的归案穷途. 华尔街日报, Mar 17, 2015
cn.wsj.com/gb/20150317/BCH084116.asp

, which is translated from

James T Areddy, A Chinese Fugitive's Bet to Go Home; In pursuit of runaway funds, Beijing struck a deal with a fraudster tired of life on the lam. Wall Street Journal, Mar 17, 2015

Quote in PRINT:

"Accused of masterminding a $113 million embezzlement, he [LI Dongzhe 李 东哲; then in Canada] told [Chinese] officials that if they gave him a light sentence, it would inspire others to turn themselves in.

"Back home, some of Mr Li’s cousins were imprisoned on suspicion of involvement in the embezzlement, according to Mr [Douglas] Cannon, the [Mr Li's Canadian] lawyer, and relatives of Mr Li. Authorities [in China] evicted some family members and former business associates from their homes. And they took control of many of Mr Li’s properties, dealerships and other businesses, then sold some of them, Mr Li said in later statements to authorities. Vancouver police arrested Mr LI in 2007 and charged him with overstaying his tourist visa.[i]  But Canadian immigration officials decided not to deport Mr Li for fear he 'would face a risk to life, a risk of torture or a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment' in China.[ii][iii]

"China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs pledged in a memo to Canadian officials that if Mr Li were extradited and found guilty, 'the presiding court will not sentence Li Dongzhe to death,' according to a copy reviewed by the Journal.[iv]

"After multiple rounds of talks at the consulate [in which Li's wore a wire to record secretly], China's consul general in Vancouver, LIANG Shugen 梁 梳根, returned with a five-point offer. For Mr Li's and Mr Gao's surrender, he said, China could verbally promise unspecified 'leniency'—but not rule out life in prison. Innocent family members could reclaim legitimate assets.[v]

"Mr Li agreed. * * * On Dec 31, 2011, Mr Li flew home  and was detained. * * * Mr Li in September 2014 was sentenced to life in prison and all his assets were confiscated.

"Mr Cannon said Mr Li returned believing he had an agreement. His client, he said, 'took a chance and lost.'

Note:
(a) The translation is based on the online version, not the print, of the original (which is basically somewhat--but not a lot--shorter).

(b)
(i) Online, this sentence is replaced by

"In February 2007, roughly two years after Mr Li arrived, Vancouver police traced him to a hotel and forced open the door, a Canadian government report said. They arrested Mr. Li and charged him with overstaying his tourist visa."
(ii) ONLINE, there is an additional clause: "in China, they said in an April 2008 ruling."
(iii) Right after this sentence, online but not in print is this paragraph:

"Stuck in [Canada's] jail, Mr Li wrote a 37-page proposal to China’s government. He said he’d accept up to three years in jail if authorities dropped charges against his family members and returned their real estate. * * * It is unclear whether Beijing responded.
(iv) Online: "But China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did pledge in an August 2008 memo to Canadian officials that if Mr Li were extradited and found guilty, “the presiding court will not sentence Li Dongzhe to death,” according to a copy reviewed by the Journal. The memo didn't provide any other assurances.
(v) Online this paragraph is replaced with three:

"On Sept. 4, 2011, Mr. Li sat down with China’s consul general in Vancouver, Liang Shugen, according to recordings, documents and photos from the meeting reviewed by the Journal.

"The consul read a vague five-point offer that he said had been approved in Beijing. For Mr Li’s and Mr Gao’s voluntary surrender, he said, China could verbally promise unspecified 'leniency'—but not rule out life in prison.

"No harm would come to innocent family members, the official pledged, and they could reclaim legitimate assets.