A government employee in southwestern China has pleaded guilty of embezzling 6 million yuan (HK$7.14 million) - half of which she spent on luxury items and cosmetic surgery.

Duan Hongyun, an accountant at a district office in Shilin county, was found to have created fake cash vouchers by forging her superiors' signatures while working at the county from 2013-2015.

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The Kunming Intermediate People's Court, which heard the case on Wednesday, found that Duan had defrauded seven village committees of roughly 7 million yuan using fraud and forgery on 32 occasions.

                                                      No recovery

Prosecutors said the government could no longer recover the money since Duan had spent almost all of it in more than two years.

Duan had gone on a shopping spree with the stolen money, spending 1.1 million yuan on cosmetic surgery, 2 million yuan on high-end goods like jewelry, handbags, watches and 1.6 yuan on clothes.

Prosecutors said Duan bought a new home and decorated it to the tune of 1 million yuan.

                                                     Depressed

Duan admitted that she turned to fraud because she was depressed after her divorce.

Prosecutors said they will file a petition before the court that the crime be elevated to corruption since Duan was a civil servant when she committed the transgression.

But the defense said it will block the petition saying their client should be given a lighter sentence following her cooperation with the police investigations.

                                                      Apology

Duan admitted her guilt in court and expressed sorrow "to the country, the collective and her colleagues".

The trial lasted two hours with the court scheduling Duan's sentence for a later date. 

TagsFraud, People's Court, luxury goods, forgery, village committees