CHANGCHUN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Weiguo, former board chairman of China's Tsinghua Unigroup, was on Wednesday sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for multiple crimes.

Zhao was convicted of embezzlement, illegal profit-seeking, and breach of trust causing harm to the interests of the listed company. The Intermediate People's Court of Jilin City in northeast China's Jilin Province also ordered the deprivation of Zhao's political rights for life and the confiscation of all his personal property.

Zhao's multiple offenses from 2014 to 2021 resulted in serious economic losses, including the embezzlement of national assets worth more than 470 million yuan (about 65 million U.S. dollars), according to the verdict.

His embezzlement involved an especially large amount and caused particularly serious losses to state interests, warranting the death penalty. His other crimes also caused significant economic damage and should be punished accordingly and in conjunction with the embezzlement offense, according to the court.

However, Zhao truthfully confessed his crimes after being taken into custody, voluntarily disclosed offenses previously unknown to the authorities, showed remorse, and actively returned illicit gains, with all the embezzled funds and assets recovered. The court therefore gave him a lenient punishment, and the execution of the death penalty will be suspended. ■