Ex-Herbalife executives Li Yanliang and Yang Hongwei charged in US with bribing Chinese officials
- Duo allegedly conspired to violate Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, while Li is also accused of perjury and destroying records
- Defendants, both 51-year-old Chinese citizens, remain at large
Two former executives of a Chinese unit of Herbalife Nutrition were criminally charged in the United States on Thursday over an alleged decade-long scheme to bribe Chinese government officials and circumvent the company’s internal accounting controls, a person familiar with the matter said.
Li Yanliang, also known as Jerry Li, and Yang Hongwei, also known as Mary Yang, were each charged by the US Department of Justice with conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, an anti-bribery law.
Li was also charged with perjury and destroying records.
Both defendants are 51-year-old Chinese citizens and remain at large. Li also faces related civil charges by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
The person familiar with the matter said Herbalife employed the defendants during the alleged criminal activity.