Former head monk of China's Shaolin 'kung fu' temple jailed for embezzlement

Shi Yongxin is sentenced to 24 years in prison for embezzlement and bribery.

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Shi Yongxin had misappropriated temple assets worth more than 282m yuan ($42m; £31m) from 2003 to 2025, a court in the central Henan province said.

It said Shi had also used his official position to illegally obtain millions from temple construction projects, as well as offering huge bribes to Chinese officials.

Shi - whose birth name is Liu Yingcheng - had earlier admitted his guilt, China's state Xinhua news agency reported. On Friday, he said he would not appeal against the verdict.

The 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple - located on a mountain range - attracts thousands of disciples from China and elsewhere every year.