Ex-Interpol chief pleads guilty to bribery: Chinese state media

Chinese state media said former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei admitted his guilt during a court hearing on Thursday after prosecutors accused him of taking 14.5 million yuan ($2.11m) in bribes.

The court, in the northern city of Tianjin, will announce its verdict at a later date, the official People’s Daily said.

It is not clear who Meng’s lawyer is and it was not possible to reach him or a legal representative for comment.

Meng is among a growing group of Communist Party cadres caught in President Xi Jinping’s anti-graft campaign, which critics say has served as a way to remove the leader’s political enemies.

He vanished last September during a visit to China from France, where Interpol is based, and was later accused of accepting bribes and expelled from the Communist Party.

His wife, Grace Meng who has been granted asylum in France, has said the charges against him are politically motivated.