Former accountant jailed for embezzling funds to fuel lottery addiction

A former accountant in Sichuan province has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for embezzling public funds to fuel his lottery addiction.

Li Bin, a former accountant with the housing and urban-rural development bureau in Batang county, Sichuan province, has been convicted of embezzling 5.7 million yuan ($783,000) of public funds. His illicit actions were driven by an obsession with lottery games, according to the Sichuan Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Commission of Supervision.

Li, who transitioned from military service to his role as an accountant in the Batang county bureau after leaving the army in 2009, was initially praised by colleagues for his diligence. However, a sequence of unfortunate decisions led to his downfall.

Li's downfall began when he experienced a serendipitous lottery win of 4,000 yuan, which ignited an unhealthy fixation. Over time, his casual lottery ticket purchases escalated into a daily compulsion, resulting in substantial financial losses amounting to tens of thousands of yuan.

To sustain this habit, Li went to great lengths. He connected with local lottery shop owners, including those from distant locations, on the social platform WeChat. This strategic networking allowed him to secure lottery tickets whenever he felt an inkling or inspiration about a potentially winning number. As his debt mounted, Li exhausted his personal savings and eventually resorted to purchasing lottery tickets on credit.

When his financial troubles became insurmountable, Li took a grievous turn and turned to embezzling public funds. Starting in 2018, he exploited his position within the government bureau to siphon off more than 5.7 million yuan from public coffers.

Li's embezzlement scheme was exposed in August of the previous year, following an investigation spearheaded by the commission for disciplinary inspection and commission of supervision of Batang county. Subsequent actions led to his expulsion from the Party and the removal from his post in line with Party regulations in November.

In May, Li faced the legal consequences of his actions as he was sentenced to a jail term of 10 years and 6 months for the crime of embezzlement.