QINGDAO - The boss of gang that used violence to extort cash and property in Qingdao city for more than a decade was sentenced to death by an east China court on Wednesday.

The Qingdao Intermediate People's Court handed down the sentence to Zhang Shaojun, and gave prison terms ranging from 20 years to 18 months to 16 other gang members.

Zhang was charged on a number of counts, including assaulting others, illegal gun possession and running a mafia-style gang in Qingdao since 1997.

According to the court hearing, Zhang's triad was involved in a number of crimes which caused two deaths and many others to be injured.

The gang made a large amount of money from extortion. Zhang gave some of the wealth to his gang members, which were in forms of business opportunities, properties and cars.