The defendant Sun Qianfo appeared in court. Photo by correspondent Wang Xingang.
According to the report (by reporter Zhu Yan), 73-year-old retired university professor Sun Qianfo, under the pretense of a military academy enrollment program, colluded with others to defraud over 140 victims of more than 19 million yuan.
Yesterday, during his trial at the Second Intermediate People's Court on charges of fraud, Sun Qianfo denied all accusations against him.
Members of the gang impersonated high-ranking military officials.
Prosecutors charged that between June and November 2003, Sun Qianfo conspired with six others including Fan Chuilǐ, posing as soldiers, claiming that they could enroll students in military academies. They promised "to send students who failed the college entrance examination to military institutions for study, where they would later be converted into formal military officers." In Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shanxi, and other places, they collected around 100,000 yuan from each student, defrauding over 140 parents of more than 19 million yuan.
It was reported that Sun Qianfo and his accomplices had clear roles in their fraudulent activities, impersonating military leaders, officers, directors, and generals. To attract students, they arranged military training for trainees, met with parents, and provided forged officer IDs, junior college diplomas, as well as purchased military uniforms and supplies.
The defendant denies the charge of fraud.
During the trial, 73-year-old Sun Qianfo appeared energetic and spoke with great confidence.
"All of it is untrue; I can't accept any of it," Sun Qianfo loudly stated. After retiring from the Business College of Beijing Union University, he started a technology consulting service company. Due to his former status as a university professor, many people sought his advice on "what to do if their children fail the college entrance exam." During this time, he met Fan Chuilǐ, 76 years old, who claimed to hold a high position in a "central-level foreign affairs department." "Fan Chuilǐ said he was an old comrade-in-arms with a senior leader in the Ministry of National Defense," and showed him photos of himself with the "senior leader." Thus, he informed Fan Chuilǐ about his desire to "help the students who failed the exam," and Fan Chuilǐ claimed he had slots available for civilian students to attend military schools. In the process of "helping," his role was merely to provide venues and conduct some enrollment procedures. For each student, who paid between 80,000 to 100,000 yuan for enrollment, he received half of the benefit.
"I knew nothing about the alleged fraud. I just thought I could help these students and their parents, which would also be a good deed," Sun Qianfo claimed.
Yesterday, the verdict was not announced in court.
■ Background
Defendant fled while on bail for seven years
During the investigation of the case, Sun Qianfo was criminally detained in October 2004 and released on bail a month later. However, in 2005, Sun Qianfo suddenly disappeared and remained at large until he was apprehended by police in a nationwide manhunt operation in Beijing in October 2011.
Regarding his escape while on bail, Sun Qianfo explained that due to his mother, over 90 years old and living in Henan province, suddenly being diagnosed with a terminal illness, he left Beijing. On his way home, he lost all contact information and thus did not reconnect with the police.
It is understood that in this case, apart from Sun Qianfo, the other five members of the gang have already been sentenced. Among them, Fan Chuilǐ, who impersonated a general and high-ranking official, was sentenced to life imprisonment, while the others received sentences ranging from 10 to 14 years.