Chinese Celebrity Guo Meimei Sentenced to Five Years for Running Illegal Casino

(Reuters) - Chinese celebrity Guo Meimei who gained notoriety for flaunting a jet-set lifestyle, apparently while working for a charity, was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday for running a casino, the Xinhua state news agency reported.

Guo hit the headlines in 2011 after posting photos online showing her in a Maserati sports car and carrying expensive handbags.

At the time, she said she was general manager of an organization under the Red Cross Society of China, a state-backed charity. The charity denied any link to her.

Guo's extravagant lifestyle caused outrage and raised concern about mismanagement of charity funds, leading to a plunge in donations, according to media reports at the time.

Guo was arrested in August 2014 and accused of running a casino. She was prosecuted in May.

She was also fined 50,000 yuan ($7,840), Xinhua reported, citing a Beijing court ruling.

Guo was not available for comment.

Zhao Xiaolai, another suspect involved in the case, received a two-year sentence and was fined 20,000 yuan, the news agency reported.