Former high-ranking executives at Chinese gaming giant NetEase were reportedly taken into custody and charged with money laundering and bribery offenses, specifically the ex-head of NetEase’s esports division and its former general manager. According to reports, several former executives, including Xiang Liang and Jin Yuchen, are among those detained in connection with allegations of corruption.
According to a Chinese-language news outlet, it is alleged that former employees in question illicitly transferred funds totalling between ¥800 million and ¥1 billion, equivalent to approximately $111 million to $139 million. The Chinese online gaming giant NetEase has officially acknowledged that authorities are probing alleged corruption cases. The corporation is accused of engaging in alleged bribery.
Multiple outsiders have been further implicated, according to reports. According to a confidential internal memo, NetEase has decided to sever ties with 27 companies allegedly involved in fraudulent activities and corrupt practices.
NetEase has driven success through its popular titles, such as and, with the latter consistently boasting a concurrent player count exceeding 109,000 on Steam. The game features two free-to-play shooters that primarily revolve around iconic franchises in gaming, namely Call of Duty and Star Wars.
Within the gaming industry, white-collar crimes are surprisingly common. Former Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka has been forced to pay a significant sum of money following an investigation into insider trading allegations. Last year, Naka admitted to participating in illegal stock dealings, resulting in a financial penalty of over $1.1 million.
