A British investigator linked to the U.K. drug giant GlaxoSmithKline was convicted in China on Friday in a case that many in the international business community believe highlights the risks of conducting due diligence on Chinese companies and investments.
The investigator, Peter Humphrey, and his American wife Yu Yingzeng were found guilty of illegally acquiring personal information of Chinese nationals, an offense the Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court said on its official microblog account could warrant a sentence of up to three years in prison.
Humphrey was sentenced 2½ years in prison, a fine of 200,000 yuan ($32,490) and deportation. Yu, on the other hand, was fined 150,000 yuan and given a two-year prison sentence.