At the height of his power, Zhou Yongkang controlled police forces, spy agencies, court systems and prosecution offices across China -- and the domestic security czar wasn't shy in deploying his vast assets to crush dissent and unrest in the name of "preserving social stability." 

During his reign before retiring in 2012, as worsening income inequality and official corruption fueled mass discontent nationwide, Zhou oversaw the domestic security budget swell to surpass that of the two million-strong Chinese military -- the world's largest. 

As a member of the ruling Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee -- China's top decision-making body -- Zhou was one of nine men who effectively ruled the country of more than 1.3 billion people. 

Away from the spotlight, though, Zhou and his family members were reportedly taking advantage of his leadership position to accumulate enormous wealth. The allegedly blatant exchange between money and power, as revealed by China's state media, would eventually prompt Zhou's shocking downfall last summer. 

After months of intense political rumors, the Communist Party's disciplinary arm in late July announced a formal investigation into Zhou for "serious disciplinary violations." On Saturday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported his arrest after the Communist leadership expelled him from the party. 

Zhou's case was sent to the country's highest prosecution authority, paving the way for a criminal trial that would make him the most senior official ever to face corruption charges in the history of the People's Republic. 

Party investigators found the 71-year-old former leader received huge bribes, abused his power to benefit family and friends, and leaked state secrets, according to Xinhua. He was also accused of having affairs with multiple women, and trading power and money for sex. 
Who was the domestic security czar?
Where?
Did he control a bunch of groups?
How many?
What are two of them?
And the other two?
What committee did he belong to?
How many were on it/
What did the group do?
When did he retire?
What grew under his control?
Which budget got bigger?
What was it bigger than?
How many people were in the country?
Did he and his family get rich?
How old is he?
What did he take in exchange for favors?
Did he keep state secrets safe?
Was he faithful to his wife?
What kind of charges is he up against?
Zhou Yongkang
 Zhou Yongkang
China
China
yes
Zhou Yongkang controlled police forces, spy agencies, court systems and prosecution offices
Four
 police forces, spy agencies, court systems and prosecution offices
police forces, spy agencies
police forces, spy agencies
court systems and prosecution offices
court systems and prosecution offices
Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee
 Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee
nine
 nine men
effectively ruled the country
 effectively ruled the country
2012
2012
income inequality and official corruption
 income inequality and official corruption
domestic security budget
domestic security budget 
The military budget
to surpass that of the two million-strong Chinese military
1.3 billion people
1.3 billion people
yes
 Zhou and his family members were reportedly taking advantage of his leadership position to accumulate enormous wealth.
71-years-old
 71-year-old 
huge bribes
 huge bribes
Nope!
leaked state secrets,
no
 He was also accused of having affairs with multiple women, and trading power and money for sex
corruption charges
 corruption charges 