A Beijing resident was detained for posting false information on a foreign website for payment, seriously harming the country's image, police said Tuesday.

The undated photo shows Xiang Nanfu escorted by police officers. [Photo/Beijing Times]

Xiang Nanfu, 62, has published numerous false stories on the website "Boxun" since 2009 under the username "Feixiang" -- "flying" in Chinese.

Fabricated information included the claim that "the Chinese government harvested organs from living humans and buried people alive, causing mass protest outside United Nations organizations in China," as well as false reports about land expropriation and violence by police and beating of a petitioner, according to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Xiang's actions were instigated and highly paid with U.S. dollars by a man surnamed Wei who was in charge of the website, police said.

The false information has seriously misled the public and Internet users and denigrated the image of the state, police said.

Police put Xiang in custody on May 3. He has confessed to his crimes and has repented, police said.

Xiang said he deeply regretted the serious harm he caused to people and the country and pleaded for a lenient punishment, police said.

JOBLESS "SENIOR REPORTER"

Xiang graduated from a junior school and was jobless. He had committed crimes several times before, including being sentenced to nine years in prison for theft.

Xiang published an article about dissatisfaction with government compensation for demolition of his house on "Boxun" in 2004 and came to know Wei.

Wei suggested Xiang publish more "complaining" articles and promised high payment.

"I know he (Wei) was using me to make trouble to the government on the Internet, while I wanted to earn some money and gain reputation," Xiang said.

He started fabricating rumors about confrontations between the government and the public in 2009 and was authorized by "Boxun" to publish stories as a "senior reporter."

Xiang posted more than 1,300 articles in 2013, nearly one-third of the total on "Boxun." The number was increased in 2014, police said.

The so-called "media supervision" and the identification as "senior reporter" have deceived many petitioners who regarded him as an "able person" and provided him with daily necessities and money.

Xiang maintained improper relationships with a number of female petitioners, police said.

He also allegedly solicited prostitutes after receiving payment from abroad.

The police are continuing their investigation into the case.

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