The black box around Xi Jinping¡¯s corruption crackdown has long fueled political gossip in China. Now, an underground market is emerging for selling purported secrets on who might be next to fall.
Across China¡¯s tightly controlled internet, authorities are playing whack-a-mole to stop shadowy users who peddle access to groups claiming to leak details of which officials are under scrutiny, according to a recent report from Banyuetan, a magazine published by the official Xinhua News Agency.
Members are typically charged a small entry fee, with access to more exclusive chat rooms promising better tips fetching as much as 399 yuan ($59), the report said. Clues are often cryptic: A cadre¡¯s resume is posted without explanation, or an official¡¯s name appears disguised by homophones. To evade monitoring, operators constantly shuffle members into new rooms.
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