?Southampton’s proposed £200m takeover by Chinese investors has apparently been blocked by the Premier League – due to concerns over allegations of bribery and lethal injection executions.
?The Sun has sensationally reported that the chief of would-be owners Lander Sports Development, Gao Jisheng, was barred by English football’s top flight authorities in February after the revelations came to light during their research over Mr Gao’s ability to fulfil the famous ‘fit and proper person’s test’.
Evidence was obtained that suggested Mr Gao had been involved in two corruption cases in his homeland of China and, shockingly, one of those cases is alleged to have even ended in the death of a senior city politician by lethal injection.
Mr Gao, who had hoped to become the new majority owner of the Saints, is now set to contest the Premier League’s decision, with his lawyers due to meet representatives from the richest league in the world in an attempt to reach a compromise to greenlight the deal.
Chinese state media apparently named Mr Gao as one of a number of businessmen who are said to have handed bribes to another individual – Hangzhou city’s vice-mayor Xu Maiyong – who, after apparently embezzling millions during his 10-year reign at the top, was executed by the Chinese state authorities in July 2011.
A Premier League probe supposedly found evidence that £70,000 worth of jewellery, gold and watches was paid to Mr Xu in order to obtain the rights to begin building new structures in Hangzhou – a claim that the Premier League pointed squarely at the feet of Mr Gao – while other precious stones and gold ingots were reportedly found in another raid by Chinese authorities around a similar time.
Another former city official – ex-Suzhou vice-mayor Jiang Renjie – was also condemned to death for abusing his position by swindling money for a similar premise, with Mr Gao once again named among those who had offered backhanders to Mr Jiang to have construction plans given the go-ahead.
Mr Gao’s team of lawyers, though, have cried foul over the bribery claims and will hope to thrash out an agreement with the Premier League that would allow the Lander Sport chief to complete the formalities on his takeover of the Saints – a step that would be a significant step down by the Premier League if they shake hands on a deal.
His law team will also hope that Mr Gao turning state witness in his country – a role that grants him immunity from being prosecuted himself – will help sway the Premier League into allowing him to become Southampton’s new majority shareholder.
Lander Sports have been locked in discussions with current Southampton owner Katharina Liebherr for months as they attempt to take a controlling stake in the St. Mary’s-based club.
Despite being in negotiations with Liebherr since November 2016, however, the German is thought to prefer other potential offers on the table to buy the club. New investors are expected to buy Ms Liebherr out in the coming fortnight, but only if the right offer is forthcoming.
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