State Food and Drug Administration
Zheng Xiaoyu, the head of the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration from its founding in 1998 until 2005 receives the death sentence for corruption. Zheng was convicted of taking bribes worth $844,000 – significantly less than the bribes taken by officials given lesser penalties in China. Dozens of Chinese died due to the approval of untested medicines and falsely labeled food during Zheng's tenure.