Yang Dacai

Yang Dacai stands trial on Sept. 5, 2013.

Yang Dacai (杨达才), the former head of the Shaanxi Provincial Work Safety Administration who was found guilty of taking bribes, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by the Xi'an Intermediate People's Court on Sept. 5, 2013.

Yang was born in October 1957, in Zhenping, Shaanxi Province. He became a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in November 1975. He graduated from the Department of Politics and Education at Yan'an University in 1982, majoring in philosophy.

After graduating, Yang became an office secretary of the Zhenping County Party Committee. Two years later, he was promoted to member of the Standing Committee of Zhenping County Party Committee and office director of the Zhenping County Government.

In April 2006, he moved up to become a member of the Standing Committee of the Hanzhong Municipal Party Committee of Shaanxi Province, executive vice mayor of the Hanzhong Municipal People's Government and vice secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group. In February 2011, he served as head of the Shaanxi Provincial Work Safety Administration and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

Yang's precipitous plunge from grace began in August 2012, when images of him grinning merrily appeared online at the scene of a traffic accident in Yan'an City which left 36 people dead, as reported by the Nanfang Daily. His facial expression was seen as inappropriate and unsympathetic.

Photographs soon surfaced online of Yang wearing various luxury-brand wristwatches on different occasions, earning him the nickname "Brother Watch." Although Yang claimed he purchased the watches with his own salary, netizens argued the public servant could not possibly have afforded such expensive items.

The online anti-graft crusade soon led to an official inquiry by the Shaanxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.

In September 2012, after an initial investigation, Yang was dismissed from his post as member of the Shaanxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC. He was also thrown out as head of the Shaanxi Provincial Work Safety Administration and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

In February 2013, Yang was expelled from the CPC and his case was transferred to the judicial authorities.

On Aug. 30, 2013, Yang stood trial at the Xi'an Intermediate People's Court of Shaanxi Province. He was accused of taking bribes and holding a large amount of property which he could not account for.

On Sept. 5, 2013, the Xi'an Intermediate People's Court had a public trial of Yang's case. Yang was sentenced to 14 years in prison for taking bribes and holding a large amount of property he could not account for. The court ordered the confiscation of the 250,000 yuan (US$40,500) in bribes he had accepted and over 5 million yuan worth of property he had failed to account for. He was fined an additional 50,000 yuan.