Former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei on Thursday pleaded guilty before a Chinese court to the charge of accepting $2.1 million in bribes. The No. 1 Intermediate Court in Tianjin city said Meng read a statement containing the confession at a hearing, AP reported.

The court said the verdict will be announced at a “select date or time”, AFP reported. The Tianjin court said Meng abused his positions, including as China’s vice minister of public security and maritime police chief, to favour others in return for bribes.

Meng was elected president of the international police organisation in 2016. While serving at the Interpol, Meng retained his title as a vice minister of public security, AP reported. It is not clear who Meng’s lawyer is, The Guardian reported.

Meng, who lived in Lyon, France, had disappeared in September 2018 during a visit to China. In October, China admitted to having Meng in its custody and the country’s Ministry of Public Security said he was being investigated for accepting bribes.

Meng’s wife, who has been granted asylum in France, has accused the Chinese authorities of creating a “fake case” against him for political reasons.