(IC)

Liao Dan, 41, a Beijing local who forged medical bill payments for his sick wife, was sentenced to three years in jail with four years' reprieve, according to a court ruling on December 7. He was also required to pay a fine of 3,000 yuan ($482).

Unable to afford his wife's uremia treatments, Liao forged a stamp and printed it onto medical bills to make it appear as though he had paid. By this means, he avoided paying a total of 172,000 yuan ($27,301) from 2007 to 2012.

The incident aroused public sympathy online and the family has received donations amounting to about 500,000 yuan ($79,365).

Liao said he was satisfied with the ruling because he can stay at home to look after his wife.