A Shenzhen-based lawyer recently published a study of high-profile criminal offenses committed by Chinese entrepreneurs. The report, touted as the first annual crime report on Chinese entrepreneurs by the media, revealed that most of these individuals held senior government positions and enjoy a high social status.Out of the 85 collected case files of influential entrepreneurs sentenced or accused of criminal offences in 2009, 36 were from state-owned enterprises (SOE) and 49 from private firms. SOE entrepreneur cases involved some RMB3.4 billion (US$500 million), including RMB932 million (US$136.5 million) from corruption and approximately RMB1.3 billion (US$190.4 million) from misappropriated funds. ......