Chinese fugitive returns to China voluntarily to face bank fraud charges
August 13, 2012 - 5:31 PM
VANCOUVER - A Vancouver man accused by Chinese authorities of misappropriating more than $150 million while he was a bank manager in China has voluntarily returned to face the charges.
Gao (gow) Shan's lawyer, Alex Ning, confirms his client flew to Beijing on his own volition.
Gao is accused of moving illegally-acquired money for Chinese businessman Li Dongzhe, who also turned himself in earlier this year after hiding from Chinese authorities in Canada.
Gao holds permanent residency status in Canada and had been working as a handyman since 2006, when China issued an Interpol warrant for his arrest.
Ning says his client decided to return to China because he was living "with a cloud over his head" and wanted to face the charges and move on.
Canada Border Services Agency arrested Gao in 2007 because of irregularities with his immigration documents, but released him on a $150,000 dollar bond.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012