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Thread: Busted Qigong Masters

  1. #1
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    Busted Qigong Masters

    This thread is somewhat parallel to our Busted Martial Artists and Busted TCM Practioners threads. Qigong masters are of a different class.
    The strange tale of the Chinese dissident student leader, the Qigong master and $50 million
    Monday, January 25th, 2010 | 5:00 am
    Canwest News Service

    There is outrage in Hong Kong that the territory's rule of law and judicial independence are under threat from Beijing after Tiananmen Square student leader Zhou Yongjun was handed over to Chinese police without any legal process.

    A week ago, a court in China's Sichuan province sentenced Zhou, who is 42 and has served two prison sentences arising out of his involvement in the 1989 pro-democracy uprising, to nine years in prison for attempted fraud.

    But there seems to be more to this story than the erosion of the guarantees given by Beijing to Hong Kong before China regained sovereignty in 1997 that the territory would keep its British civil institutions under the "one country, two systems" rubric.

    Of particular interest are perplexing and unexplained links between Zhou and a man named Zhang Hongbao, who made a fortune in China by marketing his own brand of Qigong exercises before fleeing to the United States in 2000, where he set up a putative Chinese government in exile.

    Zhang and his female secretary-driver were killed in a somewhat mysterious car crash in Northern Arizona in July 2006.

    What remains unclear is whether the Chinese authorities were keen to get hold of Zhou because of his activities as a student dissident or his links to Zhang or both.

    On the surface, Zhou has an honourable record as a student dissident.

    He was arrested after the suppression of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations and was jailed for over two years until Beijing bowed to international pressure and allowed him to emigrate to the U.S.

    In America, he had legal permanent residence, but not yet citizenship when, in 1998, he returned to China to try to see his aging parents in Sichuan.

    Zhou was captured and sentenced to three years in a labour camp. He was released early in 2001 as Beijing put on a show of improving its human rights record in order to cajole the International Olympic Committee into giving it the 2008 Summer Games.

    Zhou returned to the U.S., but in September 2008 again attempted to return to China to see his parents out of concern for their condition after the massive Sichuan earthquake.

    Now the story gets strange. Zhou says he bought from an immigration company a false Malaysian passport in the name of Wang Xingxiang. He then went to Macau, the former Portuguese colony gambling centre in China's Pearl River Delta, and from there went to Hong Kong.

    Why he would go from Macau to Hong Kong instead of straight to Sichuan is an unanswered question, though the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities seem to believe it involved money.

    You see, the name Wang Xingxiang in Zhou's false passport is also the real name of the dead Qigong master and leader of the comic opera Chinese government-in-exile, Zhang Hongbao.

    And there's a lot of money -the equivalent of well over $50 million – sitting in a Hang Seng bank in Hong Kong in the name of Wang and his mistress, Yan Qingxin.

    Now, despite Zhang/Wang having been dead for two years, the bank had recently received several letters from him asking for the money to be transferred to banks overseas.

    This the bank declined to do because the signature on the letters was not right. But the bank apparently alerted the Hong Kong police because when Zhou turned up from Macau carrying a passport in the name of Wang Xingxiang, it was this that they wanted to question him about.

    Zhou was able, however, to convince the police he had not written the letter to the bank, but they told him that Hong Kong's immigration department still needed to verify his identity.

    He was held by Hong Kong immigration for two days, from Sept. 28-30, 2008.

    Then the immigration officials did something which has caused all the furore in Hong Kong. They handed Zhou over to Chinese authorities, who whisked him to detention in Sichuan.

    There were no legal proceedings, no hearing, no chance for review, nothing. Just a quick push over the border into the waiting arms of the People's Armed Police.

    And then, for seven months from Sept. 2008 until mid-May in 2009, the Chinese authorities denied to his frantic parents that they had Zhou in custody. When he was finally put before a court a week ago, the charges of fraud related to Zhou's alleged attempts to get the money from Zhang/ Wang's accounts.

    A mystery, which is exercising people in Hong Kong concerned about the case, is why these charges would be brought in China when the alleged offence occurred in Hong Kong.

    Another odd thing is that Zhou briefly worked for Zhang in the U.S.

    Among the people demanding a slice of the enormous assets of Zhang's frozen estate before the American courts are his wife, his mistress, his housekeeper and Zhou.
    Gene Ching
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    bust countered

    And look - this news article is from the future! Spooooky...
    Tai Ji Men members sue prosecutor over founder
    By Rich Chang
    STAFF REPORTER
    Saturday, May 01, 2010, Page 2

    The Qigong group Tai Ji Men (太極門) sued Taipei Prosecutor Hou Kuan-jen (侯寬仁) yesterday for filing fraud charges against the president of the group in a case that dragged on for 10 years before the defendant was cleared.

    To the sound of traditional qigong drumming, more than 20 Tai Ji Men members arrived at the Taipei District Prosecutors Office to file a slander and malpractice lawsuit against Hou with the Taiwan High Court Prosecutors’ Office.

    The group’s attorney, Tsai Fu-chiang (蔡富強), said Hou indicted Hong Shih-ho (洪石和) and several of his followers on fraud charges in 1999. The defendants were found not guilty recently — 10 years and seven months after they were first indicted and detained.

    Hou ordered the detention of four Tai Ji Men followers for allegedly helping Hong to solicit donations, Tsai said.

    The attorney said the courts had ruled in January the four were eligible for compensation for wrongful detention, and the Control Yuan had also said that Hou had abused his prosecutorial power during the investigation process.

    The group’s many hardships over the last 10 years had been caused by Hou, Tsai said.

    Hong, who is also known as Hong Tao-tze (洪道子), founded Tai Ji Men in 1966. The group has tens of thousands of practitioners, and has also has two centers on the West Coast of the US.
    Gene Ching
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    Slightly OT

    Not really 'busted' but it's got ABBA.
    Abba's Anni-Frid in million-euro feud with temple
    (AFP) – 1 hour ago



    STOCKHOLM — Anni-Frid Reuss, a former member of legendary Swedish pop group Abba, has demanded the repayment of a multi-million euro (dollar) loan she made to a Qigong centre, her lawyer said Wednesday.

    The former pop star has asked for the 46 million kronor (4.9 million euros, 6.9 million dollars) she had lent the Yantorp Qigong resort in southern Sweden be returned, Carl-Gustaf Soeder told AFP.

    Reuss, known has Frida to Abba fans, has also said the company should be liquidated to allow her to recuperate her money, he added.

    The Yantorp Qigong resort, which comprises a hotel and a temple and offers traditonal Chinese medicine and meditation, meanwhile insists the money was a donation from Reuss.

    "Its a shock. We are all very sad," temple leader Marcus Bongart told the Expressen daily."

    He said the money "was anything but a loan."

    "Frida wanted to support us here in our project and the valuable ideas that exist here. She has been a friend for 20 years," Bongart said, adding, "we have been conned."

    Soeder meanwhile described Bongart's reference to a donation as nonsense, saying he planned to take the case to court in the southern city of Malmoe.
    Gene Ching
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    More on ABBA

    There's some great pics with this article, worth clicking the link IMO. Dayum, Frida's got bank.
    The ABBA star, her WH Smith heir lover and a bizarre £4.5m row with a Buddhist monk
    By Matt Sandy
    Last updated at 2:24 AM on 18th October 2010

    Former ABBA star Anni-Frid Reuss is embroiled in a bizarre legal fight to recoup £4.5 million she gave to a Buddhist monk.

    The singer, who enjoyed massive success with the supergroup in the Seventies and Eighties, paid the money to Polish-born Marcus Bongart to help him build a temple in her native Sweden.

    But now she says the money was a loan not a donation and has filed court papers in an attempt to recover it.

    Bongart claims Anni-Frid – better known as Frida – wants to bankrupt him, take control of the temple and turn it into a hotel.

    With both sides locked in dispute, the matter has been reported to the police for ‘further investigation’.

    Frida was once one of Mr Bongart’s ‘pupils’ – he taught her the ancient Chinese medical philosophy of Qigong. The three-times-married singer, 64, whose fortune is said to be worth more than £100 million, now lives with her British boyfriend Henry Smith, 54, the divorced WH Smith heir.

    Mr Bongart, who escaped from Communist Poland at the age of 18 on a truck, believes meditation and acupuncture can alleviate serious illness and claims to have helped thousands of patients.

    With help from donations, he has been building the £10 million Yangtorp temple in a rural area 40 miles north of the city of Malmo for the past 12 years.

    The grand Chinese-style complex, which is described as ‘a magnificent oriental temple in the middle of beech woods’, is built on a 40-acre site. It comprises a temple, treatment and teaching rooms, a hotel, conference facilities and restaurant.

    While the building remains unfinished due to financial problems, Mr Bongart still welcomes guests on seven-day ‘packages’ – which include accommodation, food and Qigong treatments and lessons – for around £1,000 each.

    Frida also has a house in southern Sweden near the resort but spends most of her time in Switzerland with Mr Smith.

    The couple secretly dated for several months before going public two years ago when Mr Smith, 54, who will become the fifth Viscount Hambleden on the death of his father Harry, accompanied the singer to the premiere of the Abba- inspired movie Mamma Mia! in London.

    The bizarre case of the Abba singer, the British aristocrat and the Polish-born Shaolin monk has caused much amusement in Sweden ever since Frida filed a bankruptcy order against Mr Bongart with the District Court of Malmo last month.
    No laughing matter: WH Smith's heir Henry Smith is the former Abba's star's boyfriend

    Mr Bongart said of Frida: ‘We have been friends for a long time. We have had disagreements over how to develop the temple, but that is all that has happened. The money is not there to be paid back, it is invested in the buildings, in the Buddhist temple.

    ‘Anni-Frid is an old friend. She was my Qigong pupil. She has visited here many times.’ He claims when Frida’s former husband Prince Ruzzo Reuss died in 1999 she told friends to donate money to Yangtorp instead of sending flowers.

    Mr Bongart says her attitude to the temple scheme suddenly changed about three months ago. He said: ‘She visited and all of a sudden we had differing opinions on the way forward. She started talking about changing the business so it was no longer Chinese. Since then we have only had contact with her agent.’

    He believes she was influenced by her advisers to turn Yangtorp into a luxury hotel to make money.

    He added: ‘We feel cheated. Had she not had money, I would understand it. But she does and yet she now believes very strongly in doing this to us. It’s a shock and we’re all very sad.

    ‘It seems that everything is possible in this world, especially if you have a lot of money.
    ‘It would be very sad to see this special place just turned into a normal hotel.’

    He says there was never any question the money was a loan. ‘This is about anything other than a loan. Frida wanted to support us in this project and the valuable ideas that are here.’ When asked if he had signed a promissory note committing to repay the money, Mr Bongart said: ‘There is a dispute over how the note was signed.

    ‘The signatures have ended up on paper without one knowing what one is signing. We have been tricked. We have not had any agreement about a loan.’

    But Frida’s lawyer, Carl-Gustaf Söder, said: ‘I have the note in my hand, so it is clear that they have signed the note. Their objection, to my mind, is not serious.’

    He added: ‘She [Frida] has filed the bankruptcy application because she wants to bankrupt the company – it is the only way she can get her money back.’

    And rejecting Mr Bongart’s claims that the money was meant as a gift, he added: ‘The debt is included in the company accounts, so I don’t understand how he can maintain that.’

    Yesterday Dan Daniell, the owner of a restaurant called Chez Heini in Zermatt, Switzerland, where Frida regularly entertains friends, said: ‘She doesn’t really want to talk about this. It’s all in the hands of lawyers.’
    Gene Ching
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    ABBA's Frida loses

    ABBA Singer Loses Legal Battle Against Swedish Health Resort
    * Posted on Nov 28th 2010 7:00PM by Georgette Cline


    ABBA singer Anni-Frid Reuss lost a legal battle against a Swedish health resort on Thursday, Nov. 25, in which she claimed to have given a multi-million dollar loan to the company that was never repaid.

    The Norwegian-born star, also known as Frida, filed a suit against the executives of the Yantorp Qigong resort, a facility that specializes in Chinese medicine and meditation. In the lawsuit, Reuss stated she had loaned $6.9 million to executives in order to fund the construction of a Buddhist temple on Yantorp's property.

    Owners of the health resort are refuting the ABBA singer's claims and are firm in their statement that her "loan" was actually a hefty donation.

    Reuss' legal team asked for the Yantorp Qigong resort to be pushed into bankruptcy to recoup the sum, but a judge at Malmo District Court in Malmo, Sweden ruled against her. The judge also ordered Reuss and her partner Henry Smith to pay $22,500 in legal costs.

    Reuss' lawyers plan to continue fighting the case.
    I've been cheated by you since I don't know when
    So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
    Gene Ching
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    Anyone know much about Tai Ji Men?

    This thread began with two Tai Ji Men posts.
    Thu, Dec 16, 2010 - Page 2 
    MOJ censured by Control Yuan over Tai Ji Men case
    By Rich Chang / Staff reporter, with CNA

    The Control Yuan yesterday censured the Ministry of Justice for failing to punish a prosecutor for misconduct as the watchdog body had requested.

    The Control Yuan asked the ministry in 2002 to deal with Prosecutor Hou Kuan-jen (侯寬仁) abusing his power by suing the head of the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy for fraud and tax evasion.

    The watchdog agency said Hou had violated the Code of Criminal Procedure (刑事訴訟法) by illegally searching Tai Ji Men president Hong Shih-ho’s (洪石和) property, freezing his assets and prosecuting him in 1997.

    A group of Hong’s former students had accused him of taking money from them by claiming to be a god and possessing miraculous powers. Hou, who was working at the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office at the time, indicted Hong and four others based on the students’ complaint.

    However, the ministry did not punish Hou for misconduct, but instead assigned another prosecutor to conduct an “administrative investigation” of Hou’s actions. The investigation concluded that Hou was not guilty of any wrongdoing in Hong’s case.

    In 2007 the Supreme Court acquitted Hong of all the charges brought against him.

    The Control Yuan said that the ministry’s reluctance to punish the prosecutor had substantially “undermined” the credibility of the nation’s judiciary.

    Hong, who is also known as Hong Tao-tze (洪道子), founded Tai Ji Men in 1966. The group has tens of thousands of practitioners, and two centers in the US.

    In other news concerning the justice ministry, it said radio frequency identification devices (RFID) had been placed on 163 parolees convicted of sexual assault since January 2006.

    Chief Secretary Sung Kao-ye (宋國業) said the ministry planned to utilize the newest RFID tags equipped with GPS, which could track sexual offenders more effectively.

    The ministry also plans to establish a number of “hot spots,” such as elementary schools, that would use the RFID tags to sound an alarm and alert authorities if the wearer approaches a hot spot, Sung said.

    Law enforcement authorities could not completely prevent parolees from reoffending with the technology currently available, but the advanced RFID tags would limit chances of repeat offenses, he said.
    Gene Ching
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    Some follow up on Tai Ji Men

    11th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World
    Taiwan News
    2010-12-16 10:27 AM

    The 11th International Conference of Chief Justice of the World (ICCJW) and the 2010 Global Symposium on Awakening Planetary Consciousness are to be held in Lucknow, India from December 10th – December 14th. Dr. Hong Tao-Tze, Zhangmenren (president) of Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy, President of the Federation of World Peace and Love, and the Honorary Vice-President and the member of Advisory Board of UN/NGO Association of World Citizens, is invited again by the founder of City Montessori School (CMS), Mr. Jagdish Gandhi, to attend the conferences with 40 mission members. Dr. Hong and the members will discuss how to respect international laws and improve global union and world peace with chief justices and important NGO representatives all over the world. In addition, they will also perform cultural exchange programs and conduct a bell-ringing ceremony of the Bell of Peace. The Bell, 240 kilograms in weight, has travelled around the globe and arrive at India, the continent with a long history of civilization, for the second time.

    The ICCJW in this year will be opened on December 10th, the International Human Rights Day. More than 200 Chief Justices and important peace-makers from more than 70 countries are expected to attend this conference. In recognition of the importance and urgency of one world and rule of law, Mr. Jagdish Gandhi has held ICCJW every year since 2001 with the principles laid out in Article 51 of Indian constitution, “The State shall endeavour to promote international peace and security; maintain just and honourable relations between nations; foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organized peoples with one another; and encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.” It is expected that the new order of One World will be established through supports of chief justices around the world. In addition, the nearly 40,000 students in CMS have had the opportunity to develop the respect for rule of law through the organization of the conference and to become global citizens in the future. As of today, 358 chief justices, judges and heads of states from more than 92 countries have attended the conference.

    Many papers published by Dr. Hong this year have advocated governments to be governed by law and be managed to fulfill people’s demands in order to realize the basic human rights endowed by God.

    Dr. Hong presented a paper in the 63rd UN/DPI/NGO Annual Assembly in Melbourne. The key message is the path towards global health lies in human rights protection within a found legal framework. The judicial and tax reforms are the check and balance of the tug of war between civilian rights and government power. The reforms are also an indicator of the level of sophistication of a society.

    In witness of the urgent calls for mankind’s survival, Dr. Hong especially convened “The 2010 World Summit on Human Rights for World Citizens” to advocate public awakening and collect the consolidated good will through essay-writings to benefit the planet and the people living on it.

    More than 11,700 organizations from 196 countries all over the world participated in the activity. In addition, global heads of states and leaders, experts, scholars and professors from all walks of life, such as Dailai Lama, have also contributed with their essays. More than 195,000 articles have been submitted so far. In the trip to India, the World Love and Peace Cultural Goodwill Group will visit CMS and invite all the students and faculties to join this activity to safeguard the earth by good thoughts and articles.

    The Goodwill Group will perform qigong, martial arts and dancing in the cultural exchange programs with friends from all around the world. In addition to responding Mr. Jagdish Gandhi’s calls for children to live in a world safely protected by rule of law, the Goodwill Group hopes the bell-ringing will open a new page of love, peace, human rights and rule of law in world history.
    Interesting contrast. For whom does that Bell of Peace toll?

    His Holiness the Dalai Lama ringing the Bell of Peace
    Taiwan News
    2010-12-16 10:28 AM

    To pray for blessings for the Tibetan and Indian people and all the living creatures in the universe, the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, His Holiness the Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama rang the Bell of Peace in the 11th International Conference of Chief Justice of the World (ICCJW) and the 2010 Global Symposium on Awakening Planetary Consciousness on December 11, 2010 in Lucknow, India, and became the 6th Noble Peace Prize Laureate of the bell ringers. When ringing the Bell, which has traveled around the globe, His Holiness the Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama expressed “Real peace must be developed from within. As such it is important to quell the fire of hatred. That also has to come through education.” The solemn ceremony of ringing the Bell of Peace was witnessed by 116 chief justices and NGO representatives from 63 countries and more than 1,000 students and teachers of the City Montessori School. The appraisal committee of Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL) awarded to His Holiness the Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama the lifetime achievements of love and peace in recognition of his great endeavors in promoting the love for the world. The solemn and impressive ceremony has left deep impressions in the hearts of the witness.

    In Chinese culture, the sound of the bell has the effect of cleansing people’s hearts. Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama was in high spirits when ringing the Bell and enjoyed interactions with the energy boys and energy girls of FOWPAL. The more than 3,000 delegates in the ceremony were surrounded by the peaceful sound of the Bell.

    His Holiness the Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama is in high agreement with the philosophy of Dr. Hong Tao-Tze, zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men, president of FOWPAL and honorary vice president and board member of UN/NGO Association of World Citizens. Dr. Hong says “The pursuit of love, peace and human rights is incessant. A heart of pureness is the blessings by God to the one with wisdom. After countless lives of learning good and refraining from doing bad, we will eventually step onto the right path of going back to the origin. All our endeavors are witnessed by people and the heaven and earth. We will leave with no remorse as long as we are fully dedicated and spare no efforts.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama has been committed to love, peace and non-violent resolutions to conflicts. And he won the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 1989 for his non-violent approaches. Also, in 2010, the appraisal committee of FOWPAL awarded him the lifetime achievements of love and peace in recognition of his love, kindness, and mercy and his great contributions to the One World.

    For over 4 decades, Dr. Hong Tao-Tze has led his dizi traveling around the globe conducting more than 2,000 cultural exchange programs, qigong and martial arts seminars, and summit of elite leaders of the world to spread the message of love and peace. Dr. Hong established the Federation of World Peace and Love (FOWPAL) in United States in 2000 to invite leaders to ring the Bell of Peace and work for a harmonious and sustainable future for generations to come. As of today, 207 world leaders from 68 nations have rung the Bell, including 22 heads of states, 6 Nobel Peace Laureates, ambassadors, UN officers and many other leaders of governments. The bell-ringers have made commitments to love and peace for humanity. Their efforts in stopping wars and promoting peace are exemplified by peace works of Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal, Fradique de Menezes, President of Sao Tome and Principe, and Leonel Fernandez, President of Dominican Republic.

    His Holiness the Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama has maintained correspondences with Dr. Hong for years. He praises highly Dr. Hong and FOWPAL for their contributions to world peace. The two sages dedicated to peace and human rights share similar philosophies. Dr. Hong indicated in his speech “Human beings can no longer control everything with their own methods. The World is one big family and we are all inter-connected in one way or another. One sneeze can create a butterfly affect in the distance.” Through the interaction among the world leaders, the power of love and peace can work like butterfly effect to create positive response and feedback to turn the destiny of the world and move toward the better future. 2010/12/16
    Gene Ching
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    Wang Lin

    Maybe it's the photo but he's a weird looking dude.
    Qigong 'master' Wang Lin holed up in Hong Kong
    Thursday, 01 August, 2013 [Updated: 6:02AM]
    Patrick Boehler patrick.boehler@scmp.com


    Qigong practitioner Wang Lin

    Controversial self-proclaimed "qigong master" Wang Lin broke his silence from a chic Hong Kong hotel room to compare his situation to that of NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

    Qigong practitioner Wang LinWang has been accused by mainland media and one of his disciples of conducting illegal medical practises and claiming he has supernatural powers.

    "It's as if the whole country has turned against me, turning black into white and white into black," Wang told The New York Times in his first public comments since the controversy surrounding him erupted on the mainland a week ago. "It's truly beyond my comprehension."

    Wang confirmed he is hiding out in an unspecified Hong Kong hotel, having acquired permanent residency in the city 18 years ago. He denied any wrongdoing and said he was the target of corrupt political dealings.

    "If I go back, I'll certainly be arrested," Wang said.

    His appearance in Hong Kong comes as condemnation of his spiritual martial arts practices reaches fever pitch on the mainland. State-owned media outlets have portrayed his qigong healing skills as a hoax that had helped him amass an enormous fortune and gain the confidence of leading officials.

    Two news programmes called Wang "a vulgar magician" who made a living "deluding celebrities and blinding the public". People's Daily said that people like Wang Lin were purveyors of "spiritual opium".

    Photos of Wang's limousines and luxury villa have been widely circulated online, along with images of him with former Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, ex-Politburo Standing Committee member Jia Qinglin , disgraced railways minister Liu Zhijun, actors Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and others.

    In a 1997 companies registry filing, Wang appears as a director of the Hong Kong-based Australia Chinese Friendship Association Ltd.

    The Melbourne-based Australia Chinese Friendship Society had no knowledge of such a company, its president, John Breheny, told the Post by phone.

    Records also show that since 2008 Wang has been one of three directors of the Kowloon Bay-based Hui Long Holdings Ltd., with registered capital of HK$100 million. The company has been involved in construction projects in Yichuan, an hour's drive from his hometown, according to local government statements.

    Wang's court case against former disciple Zou Yong began this week. Zhou, who Wang claims owes him 33 million yuan (HK$41.42 million), has provided information for press attacks against Wang.
    Wang Li: Qigong “Master” a Conjurer of Cheap Tricks?
    By Jonathan DeHart
    July 31, 2013

    Two documentaries aired on China’s state-run CCTV on Sunday calling Wang Lin a “vulgar magician” who has done little more than sell bogus health techniques to the Chinese masses – not to mention some of its elite.

    The qigong (Taoist breathing exercises meant to cultivate energy) spiritualist and advisor has fallen on hard times since the investigative reports played on television sets across the nation and has since come under investigation for fraud. The Jiangxi province-born “master” is reportedly attempting to evade scrutiny by disappearing from sight – some say by fleeing to Hong Kong.

    Wang’s fall from grace has become a major topic of discussion in China, given his celebrity clientele, which included some of China’s most prominent entertainment, business luminaries – even heads of state – from Jackie Chan and Jet Li to Alibaba founder Jack Ma and Hong Kong’s former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, as well as relatives of former Chinese President Hu Jintao.

    The prominence of 61-year-old Wang’s following was not in doubt, although some of his practices were strange by any standards. From “creating snakes” after placing scraps of paper under an upside-down basin which he jostles around until two snakes issue forth (see video here) to shredding steel with his bare hands, recovering paper from ashes, and even retrieving “an incinerated banknote intact from an orange” – some of his exploits are truly bizarre.

    While actions such as these can be dismissed as magic tricks, things become morally hazy with some of his health suggestions. Wang has claimed to heal cancer and other serious illnesses, including removal of three “stones” from the body of former Indonesian president Suharto. All told, Wang estimates he has worked with some 50,000 patients.

    Wang has dismissed claims that his practices are illegal, claiming that he has undergone rigorous investigation by a team of 17 Japanese scientist over a period of seven days, and has received numerous offers from U.S. intelligence agencies attempting to lure him to their shores with the promise of a green card.

    He claims that he began to cultivate his supernatural powers from age seven under the tutelage of an Emei Taoist priest.

    Despite accusations that he is a charlatan, Wang claims he donates up to 10 million yuan ($1.6 million) annually to charity – a claim that is backed by Pan Zhongwu, deputy director of social assistance at Pingxiang’s Civil Affairs Bureau.

    Sima Nan, well known as a debunker of pseudoscience, invited Wang to Beijing to prove his claims, offering $1.6 million to anyone who can prove they have supernatural powers.

    Wang has not taken criticism or questioning lightly, cursing at least one journalist. “I am telling you, you will die miserably, and your family will follow," Wang told a reporter with The Beijing News last week after she wrote a story that he thought damaged his name.

    If convicted of illegal practice, he has a lot to lose. With the dubious earnings he has raked in, Wang has procured three Hummers and a Rolls-Royce that has been spotted parked in front of his five-story villa in his hometown of Pingxiang, Jiangxi province, nicknamed “the palace” due to the fact that his surname means “king” in Mandarin. He is also known to drive a Porsche and owns further properties in Shenzhen, Nanchang and Hong Kong.
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    More on Wang Lin

    This article is 'highly cited'.
    Supposed telekinetic qigong healer can't dispel skepticism
    English.news.cn 2013-07-30 23:56:22

    NANCHANG, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Self-proclaimed "qigong master" Wang Lin lived a luxurious life away from the public eye for two decades, but pictures of him receiving celebrities at his home in east China's Jiangxi Province have changed that.

    Since the photos popped up online earlier this month, video clips of Wang resurrecting beheaded snakes, recovering paper from ashes and shredding steel with his bare hands have circulated online.

    Alongside these outrageous feats, stories of him curing people of illnesses in exchange for large sums of money have also surfaced.

    Wide media coverage of his so-called "supernatural powers," his unprecedented popularity among the elite and his fortune have drawn skepticism from social science professors, people devoted to discrediting pseudoscientific claims and the general public.

    They are asking: Does he really possess supernatural powers? Did he accumulate his wealth through legal means? Has he been carrying out illegal medical practices?

    SUPERPOWER OR SUPER TRICK?

    Wang Lin told the daily Beijing News in a July 22 interview that he had once been assessed by a team of 17 Japanese scientists for seven straight days and nights.

    He also said that U.S. intelligence agencies offered him 70 green cards to try to persuade him to emigrate, but he turned them down because of his attachment to his hometown.

    When Sima Nan, an online celebrity famous for debunking pseudoscientific claims, questioned Wang about whether the "miracles" achieved through his qigong mastery were simply magic tricks, Wang became offended and said he could kill Sima with his fingers from just a few meters away.

    In his self-published book "Chinese People," Wang claimed he could use thought to transport materials, which is the highest level of qigong practice.

    Qigong, which combines breathing, physical exercise and mental training methods based on Chinese philosophy, is practiced by people from China and around the world for the purposes of strengthening the body, maintaining health, meditating and training in martial arts.

    Wang told the Beijing News that he has cured many patients, including former President of Indonesia Suharto.@ However, doubts have been cast by a skeptical public, who believe he's simply doing magic tricks, not harnessing telekinetic powers.

    "He knew some tricks for summoning cigarettes and wine from thin air, but that was only magic," a man who worked with him on a farm in Yifeng County for more than ten years said.

    "I never heard of him being able to cure disease," said the man who declined to be named.

    According to the person in charge of the farm, Wang served prison terms in the 1970s for sexual harassment.

    Wang refused to respond to the claim.

    Zhou Xiaozheng, a social science professor with Renmin University of China, said similar tricks are common in magic shows at home and abroad.

    MASTER OR CHARLATAN?

    Wang lives in a five-story villa in Luxi County. With three Hummers and a Rolls-Royce parked in the yard, he is known as the county's richest person.

    Wang was a no-show in court on Tuesday, when his trial over a property dispute with a former disciple opened in Nanchang City.

    The Jiangxi Provincial Higher People's Court began hearing the case in which Zou Yong, a businessman who formally acknowledged Wang as his master before November 2012, is suing Wang over a housing contract dispute involving more than 30 million yuan (4.8 million U.S. dollars).

    The trial opened a day after authorities in Jiangxi's city of Pingxiang, Wang's hometown, opened an investigation into Wang's alleged illegal medical practices.

    China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday broadcast an investigative report on Wang, describing him as a swindler who made his fortune by fooling celebrities and government officials.

    Prior to the trial, Zou, chairman of the Pingxiang-based Jiangxi Tianyu Fuel Group, said he paid 5 million yuan in fees to become Wang's disciple in 2009, but Wang did not teach him ways to master qigong. "Most of the time he asked me to practice on my own."

    Wang, on the other hand, said he never fooled people into giving him money.

    "I'm not this kind of person, or I wouldn't have so many billionaires as my friends," Wang said in an interview with Xinhua.

    He added that whether he has supernatural powers or not, he performs for fun just two or three times a year and does not make money from it.

    CURIOUS OR GULLIBLE?

    Billionaire Jack Ma Yun, former Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun, and movie stars Jet Li, Vicki Zhao Wei and Li Bingbing are just a few of the high-profile clients that have gone to Wang's villa for help.

    After pictures taken of Wang Lin surfaced online, Li Bingbing and Jack Ma Yun quickly explained their involvement with him.

    Li Bingbing acknowledged to the Beijing News that she once sought help for her mother's illness. She added that it will take time to see if Wang's treatment is effective.

    Jack Ma Yun, on the other hand, wrote on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblogging platform, "My friends often criticize me for showing interest in 'non-scientific' knowledge. Exploration, appreciation and curiosity in the unknown have always been my interest. Finding out the secrets behind the unknown is exciting."

    However, many Internet users are curious about why Wang's supposed feats have piqued the interest of so many superstars and high-ranking officials.

    Zhou Xiaozheng said curiosity and superstition led people to visit Wang. "But unfortunately, Wang did not safeguard corrupt officials like Liu Zhijun from downfall."

    "Ignorance and corruption are the reasons why 'masters' like Wang rise to fame," said Sima Nan.

    QUACK DOCTORS

    Cases like Wang's are not that unusual, as people claim to have the power to cure illnesses from time to time.

    In 2010, Zhang Wuben, a self-proclaimed nutritionist, became a guru overnight through his food therapy forums on a television program. His hallmark theory held that mung beans could be a panacea and his book, "Eat Out the Diseases You Have Eaten," became a best-seller.

    Zhang's medical qualifications were later exposed as false and his theories have been refuted, as followers failed to find a cure to their diseases through expensive consultations with Zhang.

    In 2011, Ma Yueling, once considered the "Health Godmother" in China, claimed that she cured diseases ranging from cancer to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through a variety of unorthodox treatments.

    It later came to light that Ma was a nurse without the necessary certifications or qualifications to prescribe treatments.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  10. #10
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    Even more on Wang Lin

    Qigong 'master' hit with firearms allegation
    Updated: 2013-08-05 20:09
    ( chinadaily.com.cn)

    Police in Jiangxi province have launched an investigation into Wang Lin, a self-proclaimed master of qigong and Taoist philosophy, on suspicion of illegal possession of firearms, the Beijing News reported on Monday.

    The investigation was launched by the public security bureau of Luxi county on Aug 1 after Wang's former apprentice, Zou Yong, disclosed in an interview with a video website that Wang had possessed a rifle unlawfully and once used it to shoot birds.

    According to Criminal Law, those unlawfully possessing guns may face imprisonment of up to seven years in serious circumstances.

    Wang Lin, who became famous around the 1990s, has mostly kept a low profile in recent years. However, he returned to the spotlight last month after photos were released showing him meeting with several famous people. These included Ma Yun, the billionaire founder and ex-CEO of the Alibaba Group, Zhao Wei, a famous actress, and Jet Li, a famous kung fu actor.

    Many people expressed shock that such successful entrepreneurs and actors could fall prey to an alleged charlatan like Wang.

    The newspaper also reported late last month that Wang had been accused of fraud and could face punishment for allegedly practicing medicine without a permit.

    Since the controversy started in July, Wang Lin is reported to have moved to Hong Kong, where he has residency.

    A Chinese snake-conjuring qigong master sparks ire about China’s festering problems
    By Lily Kuo @lilkuo July 25, 2013



    A wealthy Chinese martial artist who claims he can conjure snakes from empty bowls and heal cancer just lost one of his most important sources of power: obscurity. Wang Lin, a 61-year-old qigong teacher known in his small town in Jiangxi province for his healing powers, is now in headlines in Chinese media after a Beijing Times report (article in Chinese) delved into Wang’s life and began questioning not just the source of his fortune, but also his supernatural abilities.

    According to the report, Wang’s real power isn’t so much the healing he offers to clients, which he has credited for his growing fortune over the past 20 years. Instead, the report alleges, he is paid handsomely to connect wealthy business people to powerful officials in the government. The story says Wang lives in a five-story villa and owns two Hummers as well as one Rolls Royce. Wang disputed the story and reportedly “cursed” the journalist who wrote it. (Wang, on a microblog account, said he never threatened the reporter.)


    Wang Lin with relatives of former Chinese leader Hu JintaoSina Weibo / 1215031834

    The story and the back-and-forth have caused a flurry of commentary on Chinese internet forums. That China’s rich and powerful would be taken by Qigong, a Chinese martial art based on ancient Chinese philosophy that has mostly gone out of style in China since the communist revolution, is weird enough. In one online poll (registration in Chinese required), most Chinese online respondents said they don’t believe in its supernatural ability.

    But the allegations also speak to the grievances regular citizens have against Chinese elites: classism, a culture of guanxi, or connections, and conspicuous wealth. One post, a slideshow of photos of Wang with celebrities and officials has been forwarded over 15,000 times and garnered over 6,000 comments. One blogger wrote, “Troubled evildoer, crafty witchcraft. Master Wang Lin is a mirror of official corruption.” Several referred to Wang as a “monster,” using a phrase once used by Mao Zedong to describe the party’s enemies that translates roughly as “a cow’s ghost, serpent spirit.” One blogger said, “These people should be expelled from the party.”


    Wang Lin with Chinese actress Li BingbingSina Weibo / szliyong

    According to the report, Wang’s followers are not local villagers; He hardly ever treats locals and instead focuses on China’s highest social strata. Photos from a collection Wang kept labeled “Chinese people” have been circulating online. He is shown posing with former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin’s sister, as well as Hu Jintao’s sister, a former Chinese health minister, the head of China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the highest agency for state prosecutions, actor Jet Li, and Ma Yun, founder of Chinese e-commerce firms Alibaba and Taobao. One blogger, according to the blog Offbeat China, wrote, “From these pictures, one can understand China. These rich and powerful crawl under the feet of Wang. It’s both laughable and pitiful. We are truly living in the worst of times.”

    Watch Wang conjure a snake out of a basin, starting at about two minutes and 33 seconds. (It takes about four minutes.)
    I didn't watch the vid yet.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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  11. #11
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    an update

    forgot about this guy for a moment

    Qigong master dodges court hearing, visits Taiwan
    Weng Luyi and Staff Reporter
    2013-10-20
    08:54 (GMT+8)


    The controversial qigong master Wang Lin, claimed a fraud by the Chinese government. (Photo/CNS)

    Qigong imposter Wang Lin paid a visit to Taiwan, as confirmed by the nation's National Immigration Agency on Thursday. He reportedly landed in Taiwan on Oct. 16 from Hong Kong and departed the following day.

    Wang is facing seven charges in China, including fraud and illegal medical practices. He failed to show up at a court session on July 30 and his whereabouts remain unknown.

    Wang had reportedly fled to Hong Kong, but Wang himself told the Chinese media that he had entered Taiwan without trouble from authorities, said the Beijing News on Thursday.

    NIA official Hsu Chien-lin said that Wang has not been convicted and is only being investigated by Chinese authorities. He cannot be labeled a fugitive.

    Moreover, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not have the authority to prohibit Wang's entrance because China's authorities have not issued an international arrest warrant or requested Taiwan to bar him from setting foot on the island, Hsu added.

    He further stated that Wang came to Taiwan as an independent traveler. The customs officials do not question visitors' itinerary based on personal freedom and no one reported any illegal activities by Wang during his stay.

    Wang rose to fame in the 1990s as a master of qigong, a system of training the body's qi, or energy, for use in martial arts and healing. He maintained close relations with several government officials, entertainers and entrepreneurs, which helped him boost his influence.

    The self-proclaimed qigong master is also known to be good at forging relationships with celebrities. He always has his picture taken when seen with a noted public figure, which has helped him build a positive public image.

    According to an official from the Department of Health in Jiangxi province, Wang has been charged for indulging in illegal medical practices, bribery, bigamy, gambling, tax evasion, fraud and the illegal possession of firearms.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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  12. #12
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    The way to promote qigong in the 1980s was to cozy up to a Party member, laude them with wonderful and overabundant praise then do a few magic tricks and enter the Party's graces. It worked until Falungong's overstepped their bounds and actually vye for numbers and the abilty to mobilize people then it all came crashing down.

    Qigong Fever by David Palmer profiles many cases in this expose!

    http://www.amazon.com/Qigong-Fever-S.../dp/0231140665

  13. #13
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    Wu Wanlin

    140 dead. Unbelievable.
    'Divine' doctor kills patient with toxic soup after years in jail
    PUBLISHED : Friday, 25 October, 2013, 2:16pm
    UPDATED : Friday, 25 October, 2013, 4:08pm
    Amy Li chunxiao.li@scmp.com


    Yun Xuyang was found dead in this hotel in Henan. Photo: screenshot via Beijing News

    A Chinese ‘doctor’ named Hu Wanlin, imprisoned in 1999 for illegally practising medicine, was arrested again recently after a 23-year-old college graduate died after drinking a poisonous herbal soup the ex-prisoner prescribed during a “medical seminar” in Henan province, Beijing News reported on Thursday.

    An autopsy of the victim, avid acupuncture practitioner Yun Xuyang described by his family as a staunch believer in Chinese medicine, showed he had consumed liquid containing highly-toxic sodium sulphate (the sodium salt of sulfuric acid) before his death. Hu, 64, was subsequently charged with “practicing medicine illegally,” according to police in Luoyang.

    The tragedy sheds light on the gullible nature of the public in China when it comes to phony medical practices carried out by self-proclaimed doctors with “supernatural healing powers”.

    In the 1990s Hu, who only completed education to primary school level, was portrayed as such a ‘divine’ doctor and thousands sought his medical help. Hu also claimed to have found cures for AIDS and cancer. He continued to treat his patients with “miracle water” containing high doses of sodium sulphate in the years leading up to his arrest.

    More than 140 people are believed to have died as a result of his “treatment”.

    Hu was convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 2000.

    His sentence was reduced, however, and he was released in 2011, possibly due to “positive behaviour” according to a CCTV report aired on Thursday.

    Prison did not lead Hu to repent. He had apparently gone back to his old practices after his release, working with “students” to arrange “seminars” in Henan.

    Yun, who had been running a successful acupuncture clinic and was eager to hone his skills, was contacted by Hu’s students in August and asked to participate in the medical seminar, the Beijing News reported.

    Yun was told Hu could “treat all sorts of illnesses”, and could cure cancer “in a matter of days”.


    Wu Wanlin appears in a court in 2000. Photo: screenshot via Beijing News

    Yun, however, lapsed into a coma after drinking Hu’s herbal soup as part of a “detox treatment” and later died. Patients were supposed to vomit and “discharge” the toxins in their body as part of the procedure, according to Hu.

    Hu and his associates were arrested on October 1 on charges of “practising medicine illegally,” but Yun’s relatives argued he be charged with “homicide”, since he was familiar with the hazards of consuming sodium sulphate.

    Reports of Hu’s arrest shocked Chinese bloggers. Many of whom couldn’t understand how he was able to deceive someone as highly educated as Yun.

    “Hu should spend the rest of his life in jail,” one commented.

    He Ying, a genuine Chinese medicine practitioner in Henan, told the local Dahe Daily she found Hu’s approach puzzling.

    “Consuming sodium sulphate could easily destroy a healthy person, let alone a sick patient,” she said.

    An effective detox programme could simply consist of eating fruit and vegetables, Ying suggested.

    Despite the recent downfall of several so-called ‘doctors’, including the infamous Qigong master Wang Lin, discussion on the relative merits of Chinese versus Western medicine continues to brew in the mainland.

    Eric Chong, deputy secretary general at Beijing-based China Hospital Association, said limited medical resources in the mainland means seeking treatment in traditional hospitals can be expensive and frustrating for patients. Meanwhile, the Chinese tend to believe in "secret prescriptions" with unrealistic promises instead of scientific prognosis given by Western medicine practitioners, he said. These factors have made it easier for crooks like Hu to deceive more people, chong said.

    "These phony doctors might be clueless about medicine or science, but their understanding of the Chinese people's mentality is perfect," Chong said.
    Gene Ching
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  14. #14
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    Zhang Hai

    When I was training at Shaolin, I lived on Jianlibao. I used to buy that stuff by the cases. It was a very satisfying energy drink for Shaolin ten years ago.

    Zhang Hai: Qigong master to Jianlibao chairman to fugitive
    Staff Reporter
    2014-01-22
    10:47 (GMT+8)


    Zhang Hai on trial at the Guangdong Provincial Higher People's Court, Sept. 27, 2008. (Photo/Xinhua)

    An investigation by the Yicai financial news webportal of the Shanghai-based China Business News has uncovered how Zhang Hai, the mysterious former chairman of the energy drink producer Jianlibao Group, has gone from a teenage qigong master to China's youngest chairman of a listed company — and now, to a wanted international fugitive.

    The procuratorate of southern China's Guangdong province confirmed on Monday that the 39-year-old Zhang has indeed fled the country as speculated. Zhang was initially sentenced to 15 years by the Foshan City Intermediate People's Court in 2007 for fabricating financial statements and embezzling up to as much as an estimated 700 million yuan (US$116,000), though a year later the term was cut by five years after he provided police with evidence to solve a house robbery case.

    He was released conditionally in 2011, but a retrial last October found that Zhang had bribed officials to obtain the information that helped him receive leniency, and the commutation of his sentence was thus revoked. The court's decision sent Zhang into hiding and eventually prompted him to flee China.

    Born in May 1974 in central China's Henan province, Zhang became a swindler from an early age, proclaiming himself a master of the Chinese art of qigong from the age of 14. Sources said he became famous in his local area by performing parlor tricks for money, including allegedly turning large leaves into small leaves and then back again, making watches and clocks spin backwards, and curing illnesses with qigong. One source said Zhang told people he acquired his remarkable talents from a master in Tibet, who gave him a magical hat.

    Although Zhang claims to have graduated from Henan University, investigators say he never even graduated from middle school, and his so-called university degree was actually a martial arts course that he didn't even pass.

    When he was just 18, Zhang produced a series of allegedly magical qigong videos, claiming that sick viewers could be cured of their ailments and healthy people could live longer lives after watching. He is believed to have made an estimated 3-4 million yuan (US$495,000-$660,000) from his followers during this period. In one of his videos Zhang boasted of passing on his teachings to nearly 300,000 people over two years.

    At the turn of the century, Zhang and his business partners began investing in a number of listed Chinese technology companies, eventually hitting the jackpot when he spent a reported 338 million yuan (US$55.9 million) to acquire a 75% stake in the Foshan-based Jianlibao Group in 2002 at the age of 28. It remains unclear, however, where the funds came from, with some claiming that Zhang made a fortune from investing a 5 million yuan (US$826,000) gift he received from a Hong Kong businessman, while others believe he made most of the money from his qigong "business" and from payments by devoted followers.

    Founded in 1984, Jianlibao was once considered on a par with Coca-Cola and Pepsi in China during the 1990s with their popular Jianlibao energy drink. However, after becoming chairman of Jianlibao, and the youngest chairman of any listed company in China, Zhang proceeded to shrink staff wages and implement layoffs to cut costs, leading to the collapse of several of the company's key departments. The company has struggled to regain its former glory ever since.

    Zhang was finally arrested in Foshan in March 2005 for fabricating reports, investments and embezzlement and held for more than two years before being sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in February 2007. His current whereabouts are unknown.
    Gene Ching
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    "Xinjiang sage" Cao Yongzheng

    Fortune-telling qigong master Cao Yongzheng nabbed in CNPC probe
    Staff Reporter
    2014-04-23
    15:29 (GMT+8)


    Cao Yongzheng. (Internet photo)

    He may be able to predict the future and cure chronic diseases, but the man they call the "Xinjiang sage" is having a hard time trying to escape China's anti-graft authorities.

    Cao Yongzheng, 55, has allegedly been detained by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, China's top corruption watchdog, as part of a sweeping probe into state-owned oil giant China National Petroleum Corporation.

    According to reports, Cao's Niandai Energy Development Company, which closed down when the investigation began, was raking in 88% of the hundreds of millions of yuan worth in annual income made by the Wangtai block of CNPC's Changqing Oilfield located in northwest China's Shaanxi province. The thing that stood out for investigators, however, was that Niandai was receiving the returns without having made an investment.

    "What they did is to extend the cooperation contract one year earlier and counted the non-existent revenue sharing for that year as investment," a source said.

    Cao is said to have a close relationship with former deputy Sichuan party secretary Li Chuncheng and former Sichuan vice governor Guo Yongxiang, both of whom have been nabbed for corruption. He is also reportedly a confidant of Zhou Bin, the son of retired oil and security tsar Zhou Yongkang. Rumors surrounding Zhou Yongkang's "imminent" downfall have persisted for more than two years despite his so-called unwritten immunity from prosecution for being a former member of the Politburo Standing Committee, China's highest decision-making body.

    Cao was born in 1959 in the city of Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong province but grew up in Xinjiang. He graduated from Xinjiang University in 1982 and commenced a career as a teacher and then as an editor for a publishing house.

    According to the Guangzhou-based Southern Weekly, Cao rose to prominence out of China's national obsession in the '80s and '90s with qigong, a millenia-old internal martial art that develops mental and physical vitality through the cultivation of qi, or energy. There are many legends of qigong practitioners performing extraordinary physical and mental feats, and Cao continued the tradition. He is reportedly able to see a person's past and future just by looking at their portrait.

    He made his mark in 1993, successfully predicting the outcome of China's application to host the 2008 Olympics, a feat which won him many followers among China's celebrities and ranking officials, and even the title of "national teacher" in some circles. Strengthening his mystical profile is his alleged supernatural ability to heal the chronic illnesses of certain celebrities, according to the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily.

    He even predicted a coming heart attack for a wealthy individual seven days before it happened, helping the man avoid a potentially fatal situation and prompting him to establish a health consultation firm in Hong Kong for global celebrities in 1997, according to the article. The membership fees of the club are US$800,000.

    Backed by the fortune accumulated from his celebrity savings, Cao began to establish a sprawling but low-profile business group, the business scope of which included petroleum, realty, entertainment, and agriculture. A inside source says that he could make the Forbes list of China's wealthiest individuals.

    Cao partnered with Wang Guoju, a former official at CNPC's Shengli Oilfield–China's second largest–to set up Niandai Energy in 2005. The company would go on to sign lucrative contracts with CNPC to develop oil blocks in Xinjiang and the northeastern province of Jilin in 2007 and 2008. Cao and Wang have also collaborated in movie production and property development.

    Last July, police raided Niandai Energy's headquarters in Beijing and froze the company's assets. At the time, one of Cao's assistants had apparently called Niandai Energy's managers to assure them that Cao would use his alleged powers to restart the company in a few months. Instead, Cao reportedly fled to Taiwan, but has since been "detained by authorities," according to a Beijing businessperson close to him.

    References:
    Cao Yongzheng  曹永正
    Li Chuncheng  李春城
    Guo Yongxiang  郭永祥
    Zhou Bin  周濱
    Zhou Yongkang  周永康
    Wang Guoju  王國巨
    Intricate scam. He must have had something going on to be able to pull it off.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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