According to reports (reporter Zhou Yao) - Coal boss Ma believed that his coal mine had been "seized" by a local official, so he went to the capital to directly appeal and report the issue to higher authorities. However, he was scammed out of more than 10 million yuan by fake "officials". It is reported today that Beijing's No. 2 Intermediate People's Court has made a final verdict in this case, sentencing defendants Chen Yongfeng, Hui Tianming, and Su Su to fixed-term imprisonment ranging from eleven and a half years to twelve years with fines for the crime of fraud.
In 2007, Ma came to Beijing to report issues regarding the occupation of his coal mine by leaders of a county committee in Shanxi Province. In November, through friends' introductions, Ma successively met Chen Yongfeng, Hui Tianming, and Su Su. After conspiring, Su Su pretended to be a staff member of a certain ministry, falsely claiming that she could handle Ma's accusations of corruption. They subsequently collected 10 million yuan from Ma at a hotel in Haidian District and at a branch of a bank in Beijing’s Peaceful Village area. Additionally, Chen Yongfeng separately received 8,000 yuan from Ma to buy a mobile phone.
After the first-instance court reviewed and sentenced, the three defendants appealed to the Second Intermediate People's Court.
The Second Intermediate People's Court ruled that the three defendants had committed the crime of fraud with an especially huge amount, and they should be punished according to law. Considering that after being apprehended, Chen Yongfeng assisted the public security organs in capturing co-defendant Hui Tianming, constituting meritorious conduct, he was given a lighter punishment according to law.