Farmer in east China suspected of trying to buy position as village head for three million yuan
Would-be leader says money was offered as interest-free loan to help fellow villagers
A farmer in eastern China is suspected of vote buying after he offered 3 million yuan (US$435,000) to his fellow villagers in exchange for becoming the village head, a news app from Xinhua Daily reports.
Villagers and officials in Siying village in Donghai county, Jiangsu province, confirmed the authenticity of a widely circulated video showing a man carrying bundles of banknotes to the village committee and asking to be made village head in an upcoming local election, the app, Jiaohuidian, reported.
The committee accepted part of the sum last month but returned the cash to the farmer after the township government intervened and demanded it do so.
Wang Yong, who claimed to have made a fortune by contracting on property projects in recent years and has provided charity to villagers in the past, told the news app he had wanted to lend the money to villagers without charging any interest.
Although several members of the committee said Wang wanted to be made the village head in return, he said the money had nothing to do with the election, which would take place on December 17.
