A former high-ranking official in China's Communist Party has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in connection with a pension fund scandal.

前中国共产党高官因涉嫌社保基金丑闻而背叛18年监禁

A court in the northern city of Tianjin sentenced Chen Liangyu Friday on charges of taking bribes and abusing his power.

北方城市天津中院宣判陈良宇犯有受贿罪和滥用职权罪

Chen was the chief party leader in the Chinese financial city of Shanghai when he was arrested in 2006 over revelations that more than $400 million in pension funds were improperly used in other state-owned projects.

陈在2006年时任中国金融中心上海市首席执行官因被揭露挪用4亿美元社保金不正当的用于其他国有项目而逮捕

He is also accused of accepting more than $300,000 in bribes.

他也被指控接受30万美元的贿赂

More than a dozen senior party officials and businessmen have also received harsh sentences for their involvement in the scandal. Shanghai tycoon Zhang Rongkun received a 19-year prison sentence earlier this month for his role.

有超过12个党员高官和商人因卷入此丑闻受到严厉审判,上海大亨张荣坤在这个月早期被判19年监禁

Chen was removed from his seat in China's ruling Politburo, the country's main decision-making body, when he was arrested.

陈被捕时是中央政治局委员,政治局是中国主要的决策性机构

He is the first Politburo member to be charged with corruption since 1995, when former Beijing Mayor Chen Xitong was forced out of office and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

他是自1995年来首个因腐败而受指控的政治局委员,那时前北京市长陈希同被迫辞职并且被判16年监禁

Observers say the investigation is part of President Hu Jintao's efforts to cast aside Shanghai officials who were loyal supporters of former President Jiang Zemin.

观察家认为调查只是*尽力铲除忠于前总书记*的上海市高官的一部分