The US-based Mingjing News website reported on January 9, 2015, that Ma Jian, Executive Vice Minister in the Ministry of State Security has been detained over alleged corruption as part of President Xi Jinping's ever-widening crackdown on graft. Several of Ma Jian's close relatives are also under investigation. The corruption charges are said to be linked to a high-profile anti-graft investigation into activities at the top of Founder Group, a Peking University-owned technology conglomerate. Ma Jian is believed to be close to Founder chief executive Li You who allegedly financed hugely profitable securities trades carried out by one of Ma's relatives.
(Comment: Ma Jian's removal makes him the highest-ranking national security official to be investigated since the downfall of former PBSC member and China's security czar Zhou Yongkang. Ma Jian, who worked with MoSS for 30 years, is also closely linked to Ling Jihua, formerly chief of staff to former President Hu Jintao who retired in 2013 and was detained last month on charges of high-level corruption. Ma Jian's 'investigation' could trigger high-level changes at the MoSS.)
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