TV boss who fixed sex deals sentenced

A TV producer who struck sex deals with teenage twins and other girls seeking acting roles was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a Beijing court found him guilty of organizing prostitution yesterday.

Hu Weidong, a 49-year-old from Henan province, had coerced Beijing twins, Qin Qing and Qin Yun, known as "Baobao and Azi," to have sex with him, his assistants and wealthy clients before the twins legally became adults at age 18.

On their blog, the twins claimed Hu had set them up with men and posted picture stories. An investigation into Hu was begun and he was later arrested.

The Haidian District People's Court yesterday found that Hu coerced young women into sex deals, making profit from them, from September 2007 to May 2008.

Hu, who is the owner of the Yuan-Yuan TV Studio, admitted in the court hearings that nearly 100 women agreed to make sex deals with him during that period.

The mastermind was guilty of both organizing prostitution and organizing promiscuity with under-aged youth, the court said. He received a 10-year sentence and was assessed a 100,000 yuan ($14,640) fine.

Hu's two assistants, Meng Qingbo and Sun Qiao, were also found guilty of assisting prostitution and organizing promiscuity with under-aged youth. Meng was sentenced to seven years in prison with a fine of 20,000 yuan, and Sun was sentenced to three years in prison with the same fine.

Hu appeared angry after he was sentenced and immediately decided to appeal.

"The girls are valuable commodities. It is inevitable for them to have relationships with investors and directors," the man told reporters outside court.

(Edit:Ruby)