China’s Top Tech Banker Detained by Antigraft Agency, WSJ Says

Bao Fan, Chairman of China Renaissance, has been detained since February by the country’s antigraft investigators, the Wall Street Journal said, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.

(Bloomberg) — Bao Fan, Chairman of China Renaissance, has been detained since February by the country’s antigraft investigators, the Wall Street Journal said, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.

  • Bao’s detention is related to investigation into Cong Lin, the firm’s former president, who Bloomberg News said last month has been involved in a probe by authorities since September
  • Note: China Renaissance said on Feb. 26 that Bao is cooperating in an unspecified investigation by Chinese authorities
  • Bao is being held under a special form of detention known as liuzhi, or “retention in custody,” where a person may be detained for as long as six months without access to lawyer, according to WSJ
  • Unclear now if Bao will be formally arrested and charged, it said
  • Before the detention, authorities had spoken to Bao several times over a period of months regarding the probe of Cong
  • Investigators asked Bao about a suspected quid pro quo involving a loan Cong helped arrange for China Renaissance before joining the firm, but Bao didn’t provide all the information, WSJ said
  • The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in Beijing couldn’t be immediately reached by Bloomberg for comments outside normal business hours
  • NOTE: China’s Top Tech Banker Is Missing? What That Means: QuickTake
  • Missing Banker Bao Fan Had Plans for Singapore Family Office: FT
  • Star Banker’s Disappearance Surprises Even China’s State Lenders
  • Star Banker’s Disappearance Unnerves China’s Business Elite 

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

©2023 Bloomberg L.P.