According to Bloomberg, Liu, his brother Liu Wei and three others were sentenced to death in the Xianning Intermediate People’s Court for crimes including murder and leading an organised crime group in Sichuan.

A total of 36 people were sentenced for crimes associated with Liu.

Rumours of Lui’s arrest started circulating in March last year as his company, Hanlong Mining, was trying to wrap up a $A1.4 billion takeover of Australia’s Sundance Resources.

The deal collapsed the following month, about two years after he takeover bid was launched.

Despite the botched offer, Hanlong remains Sundance’s largest shareholder at 14.1%.

Hanlong made a $A143 million takeover offer for Bannerman Resources in July 2011 that also collapsed.

The company remains the largest shareholder in Moly Mines, with a controlling 53% stake.

Liu was on the board of Moly but was removed in June 2013.

Moly says on its website that it practices proper corporate governance and as such, had an arm’s length agreement with its major shareholder.

“Whatever the outcome of the Lui Han trial, the MOL board will continue to operate the company in the best interest of all shareholders,” Moly says on its website.

Bloomberg’ report said the assets of the men sentenced to death would be confiscated, though it was unclear if that included the interests of Hanlong.