The Jing'an District People's Court announced its verdict on the city's first case ofsgroupsbribery.

　　The Shanghai Blood Management Office was fined 50,000 yuan (US,024) and its vice director Yue Qinxi sentenced to 8-1/2 years' imprisonment for taking bribes. Yue also had his personal property worth 60,000 yuan confiscated.

　　Every local blood donor gets a set of souvenirs, such as stationery and daily necessities. The blood management office is in charge of purchasing such souvenirs.

　　According to Chen Qiyan, of the Shanghai Hongyu Gift Co, he began to do business with the blood management office in 2000. Insgroupsto get more business and establish a better network, he gave commissions to Yue and the blood management office.

　　The office, with Yue's approval, got commissions worth 146,700 yuan from Hongyu from October 2000 to October 2001, which were used as bonus for staff.

　　Yue, making use of his position, took 554,000 yuan, one cell phone and a gold necklace from Hongyu between June 2000 and December 2002.

　　Chen had promised Yue one yuan on every gift purchased by the office.

　　In June last year, Yue claimed he wanted to buy a new apartment and therefore asked Chen for 500,000 yuan.

　　When officials from the Shanghai Health Bureau investigated the source of the 500,000 yuan early this year, Yue asked his relatives to invent stories to cover up the crime and wrote fake IOUs.

　　"Though he cooperated with prosecutors, Yue took huge bribes and asked for money from the gift firm. He deserves a stiff punishment," said Sun Wei, the judge.