Ex-GroupM China executive gets life sentence in bribery case

According to media reports, Di Fei, who served as chief investment officer at GroupM's China operations, was found guilty in March of accepting illegal payments from brokerage firms

by e4m Staff
Published: Jun 26, 2026 4:04 PM | 2 min read

A Chinese court has sentenced Di Fei, a former chief investment officer at GroupM China, to life in prison for his role in a significant bribery scandal involving illegal payments from brokerage firms.
Di was found guilty of accepting kickbacks totaling approximately 1.2 billion yuan (around US$176 million) in exchange for directing WPP's advertising business to those firms.
Two other former GroupM executives, Yao Lan and Hong Xin, received prison sentences of 14.5 years and 4 years, respectively.
Di Fei is appealing the court's decision, with the appeal expected to be resolved by late 2026 or early 2027, while WPP has stated it cooperated with authorities during the investigation.

A Chinese court has reportedly handed a life sentence to a former top executive at WPP-owned media agency GroupM China in connection with a massive bribery scandal.

According to media reports, Di Fei, who served as chief investment officer at GroupM's China operations, was found guilty in March of accepting illegal payments from brokerage firms. In exchange, he allegedly steered portions of WPP's advertising business to those companies. The report cited people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity because court proceedings and related documents in China are not publicly accessible.

Investigators alleged that Di, along with former colleagues, received kickbacks amounting to 1.2 billion yuan (around US$176 million). The case is believed to rank among the largest private-sector bribery prosecutions in China, although the court's judgment has not been released publicly.

The court also sentenced two former GroupM executives. Yao Lan was handed a prison term of 14 and a half years, while Hong Xin received a four-year sentence. Bloomberg reported that Di has challenged the ruling, with the appeal expected to be decided by the end of 2026 or in the early months of 2027.

A media report quoted a WPP spokesperson as saying, "We are aware of the court’s sentencing of former employees in Shanghai earlier this year. Although not a party to the proceedings, we have cooperated fully with the relevant authorities throughout the process and respect the court’s decision."