Neil Heywood

British businessman

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July 20, 2026

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Neil Heywood was a British businessman who became central to a major political scandal in China. He had a 15-year business relationship with Bo Xilai, a prominent Chinese politician, and his wife, Gu Kailai, a lawyer.1

In November 2011, Heywood was found dead in a Chongqing hotel room. Initially attributed to alcohol consumption, his death became a focal point when former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun sought asylum in the U.S. consulate, claiming Gu Kailai had poisoned Heywood.1

This accusation led to investigations into Bo Xilai and Gu Kailai. Gu was subsequently charged with Heywood's murder and received a suspended death sentence. Bo Xilai was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party and later convicted of corruption and misconduct, receiving a life sentence.1

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Bo Xilai and Gu Kailai
On November 15, 2011, Neil Heywood, a British businessman who had dealt with Bo and Gu for 15 years, was found dead in a hotel room in Chongqing. The death was immediately ascribed to “excessive alcohol consumption,” but on February 6, 2012, former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun, whom…
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On November 15, 2011, Neil Heywood, a British businessman who had dealt with Bo and Gu for 15 years, was found dead in a hotel room in Chongqing. The death was immediately ascribed to “excessive alcohol consumption,” but on February 6, 2012, former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun, whom…
Read More