Background
Zhou was born on April 23, 1961, in the Yanpu District of Shanghai into a family that included six other siblings.
正毅 周
Zhou was born on April 23, 1961, in the Yanpu District of Shanghai into a family that included six other siblings.
He began working at the age of 17, before completing his high school education.
His first entrepreneurial venture took place in 1978, when he opened a store that served wonton. His restaurateur endeavors continued in 1989 when he opened Shanghai’s Meitong restaurant and an additional karaoke bar. In 1994, he opened the famed Ah Mao Boiled Food. Relying on his keen business acumen, he built his wealth throughout the 1990s by capitalizing on numerous ventures. He was considered an eccentric member of an emerging group of wealthy entrepreneurs (many of whom eventually faced charges) who made their fortunes during a prosperous decade. In 2000, Forbes listed Zhou as the ninety-fourth richest person in China. On the list, his main company was the Nongkai Group and he was considered a major investor in both the Hong Kong and mainland stock exchanges. A mere two years later, he had spring-boarded to number 11. He was the self-proclaimed richest man in Shanghai, and also owned a company named Shanghai Land Holdings.
When he was sentenced to three years imprisonment for fraud, many critics considered the punishment to be light, and allegations arose that Zhou assisted officials with other investigative matters in return for a lesser sentence. The focus of his arrest was an investigation into loans from the Bank of China worth 2 billion yuan. Specifically, Zhou was accused of illegally acquiring both bank loans and state land. During the investigation against him, tabloid newspapers in Hong Kong were full of news of his impending jail sentence. The press also reported the persistent speculation that Zhou was cooperating with investigations in to other individuals in an attempt to gain a lighter sentence. It was also implied that Zhou’s sentence may have been affected by political affiliations with previous leaders and policymakers within China.
In late 2007, Zhou was charged with bribery, embezzlement, and tax fraud. It was anticipated that, if convicted, he could receive the death penalty or life imprisonment. In November 2007, the Shanghai People’s Intermediate Court sentenced him to 16 years in prison, a term that he is currently serving. Reportedly, Zhou’s falsification of numerous documents resulted in an illegal gain of billions of dollars.
Between prison terms, Zhou raised chickens and ran his popular restaurants in Shanghai.
In January 2006, Zhou’s wife, Sandy Mo Yuk-ping, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for allegedly trying to defraud a group of investors.