Chinese Official Fired After Being Spotted With Omega and Vacheron Constantin Watches

Just as Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood landed in hot water after spending his bandmates’ money on a Rolex, an official in the Chinese government with a penchant for luxury watches has recently been fired. Yang Dacai was a high-ranking official in the Chinese Communist Party at the Bureau of Work Safety in Shaanxi province. Last week, Yang was removed from his post after attracting scorn for his lavish wardrobe.

The Telegraph newspaper reports that online vigilantes mounted a campaign drawing attention to Yang’s conspicuous consumption, resulting in his termination for “serious violation of discipline”. Photos of Yang wearing an Omega Constellation and a Vacheron Constantin watch, both worth thousands of dollars, raised questions about how the civil servant could afford such expensive pieces on a government salary.

This is just the latest move by the CCP to crack down on corruption and lavish spending. In January, the China’s new president Xi Jinping sent shares of Swiss watchmakers tumbling with the announcement of a ban on luxury watch advertisements.

Yang Dacai is pictured above. Photo courtesy The Times. Source courtesy the Telegraph.