A southern China post office director was sentenced to death Friday for siphoning more than 1.3 billion yuan (US$190 million) from customers to help pay off her gambling debts, local court said.

He Liqiong, 45, a former manager of Chancheng District post office in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, amassed the huge amount of money between 2003 and 2006 by siphoning cash from 198 depositors at her branch, according to the verdict of the first trial at the Foshan Intermediate People's Court.

He was the leader of a crime ring that embezzled the deposits of creditors for use in gambling.

She was arrested in August 2006 for hiring someone to stab three people. Two of the victims, surnamed Guo and Huo, were members of her crime ring who had disputes with He regarding debt interests. They were only slightly injured in the attack.

A Foshan post official surnamed Zhou, who was a co-worker with whom He argued, was seriously injured.

He's accomplice, Chen Qili, former director of Lanshi Township post office, received life imprisonment for illegally absorbing savings.

The two colluded to spend 1.5 billion yuan of siphoned funds to pay off gambling debts in Macao. They also used part of the money for investment, the verdict said.

Another four, Huo Wanhua, Chen Guoqiang, Liang Jinxiang and Li Youyong were sentenced to jail terms ranging from four- to- five years. The four were organized by He to absorb public savings ranging from 27 million yuan to more than 45 million yuan.

He Liqiong appealed at the court.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2009)