An intermediary entrusted by a subsidiary of China Oil and Food Co. (COFCO), to help it buy land is under investigation for bribery, China’s National Audit Office announced in a report released last month.

According to the report, Chongqing-based Top Glory hired a cosmetics firm and a logistics business to help it buy land at an auction in 2005. One of those firms, Guanghai Logistics, is now under investigation for allegedly bribing the company running the auction.

Guanghai Logistics is also suspected of ties with the Chongqing mafia. In August 2005, gang leaders Chen Kunzhi and Gong Gangmo took control of the company, claiming it owed them interest on usury loans they have extended to the firm.

COFCO has denied Top Glory had any connections with organized crime.

In 2010, Chen Kunzhi was given a suspended death sentence and fined of more than 300 million yuan (US$46.27 million) for murder, running illegal casinos, money lending, and running an organized crime ring.

Gong Gangmo was given life imprisonment a month after Chen was sentenced.

上月國家審計署公布的審計結果稱，“中糧香港旗下一子公司委托中介公司參與土地拍賣事項。司法機關正在立案調查中介公司及拍賣單位存在的行賄受賄行為”

2005年，中糧鵬利與重慶一化妝品公司和物流公司商定，由這兩個公司協助中其拍到重慶的一塊土地。重慶廣海物流公司目前正在接受調查。

重慶廣海物流公司同時存在涉黑行為。2005年8月，重慶市黑社會老大陳坤志、龔鋼模介入，以廣海物流欠高利貸為由，控制了廣海物流。

中糧集團一直否認中糧鵬利與當地黑社會組織之間有關系。

2010年，陳坤志因犯組織、領導黑社會性質組織罪，故意殺人罪，非法經營罪，行賄罪，高利轉貸罪，非法拘禁罪，賭博罪，被合并判處死刑，并處罰金3億2萬元。

龔剛模在一個月后，被判處無期徒刑。