Probe begins into sex tape official - Global Times

The journalist who leaked a sex video online involving a Chongqing official has been invited by the municipality's government to assist a probe into the scandal after the images were proven authentic and the official was sacked on Friday.

Screenshots of Lei Zhengfu, Party chief of Beibei district, having sex with a young woman alleged to be his 18-year-old mistress were posted by Ji Xuguang, an investigative journalist, on his verified Sina Weibo account on Tuesday.

Ji's post caused a storm of attention, being widely circulated online and reported by the media.

Chongqing's information office confirmed Lei, 54, was the man in the sex tape on its official Weibo account Friday morning, noting he had been removed from his post and was under investigation.

The Beijing News reported Chongqing's discipline authority had launched an investigation into the scandal on Tuesday, when the sex tape surfaced.  

Ji claimed the video was recorded in 2007, alleging Lei was having an affair with the 18-year-old local girl who appears in the video. He also claimed Lei had used his power to benefit the interests of his brother and mistress, as well as interfered in a judicial investigation.

Ji said on his Weibo account Friday that he was helping Chongqing authorities in their graft probe.

"I initially refused to assist the Chongqing discipline authority, but later I changed my mind because I found there was growing distrust and misunderstanding among Web users toward the government that I believe needs clarification," Ji told the Global Times from Chongqing.

Ji said he and his source, who provided the sex tape, had been threatened in anonymous phone calls since the video was leaked.

"This incident shows the rise of people's awareness of the rule of law. I hope for a swift response from Chongqing authorities," Ji said. 

The municipality's information office and commission for Party discipline inspection did not respond to the Global Times by press time.

Ji claimed he received the video from Zhu Ruifeng, who first leaked the scandal on his privately operated supervisory website jdwsy.com on Tuesday.

The original video came from a senior police officer in Chongqing and was only uploaded after Lei was positively identified, Zhu told the Global Times.

"I chose to upload the images on Tuesday afternoon because a new Party chief of Chongqing was appointed that day," Zhu said, referring to Sun Zhengcai, who replaced Zhang Dejiang, the municipality's former Party chief.

"My purpose is not to crusade against the government but only to reveal the truth. This case proves again that the Internet is a good platform for such endeavors," Zhu noted. 

If Lei is found guilty of corruption from the probe, he will join a list of officials whose graft was exposed after their involvement in sex scandals.

In 2010, a tobacco official in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Han Feng, was found guilty of corruption after his diary detailing sexually explicit stories was leaked online.