Chinese tycoon who once called Xi Jinping ࢀ˜clownࢀ™ sentenced to 18 years

Ren Zhiqiang, the former chairman of state-owned real estate group Huayuan, was convicted for illegal gains totaling $16.5 million, according to Reuters. Nicknamed ࢀœCannon Renࢀ for his social media broadsides, Ren, 69, was detained in March after referring to Xi as ࢀœa clown stripped naked who insisted on continuing being emperorࢀ after a speech the president made about Beijingࢀ™s efforts to battle the coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan. Ren was later probed for a ࢀœserious disciplinary violation,ࢀ expelled from the ruling Communist Party and charged with economic crimes, including using official funds on golf expenses. He was convicted of corruption,…