Anti-corruption officers are on heightened lookout for officials who implement a conniving and devious scheme to get their families abroad before they too flee with their ill-begotten gains already safely stashed in overseas banks.

Their modus operandi involves cunning, timing and a good amount of luck.

It starts when corrupt officials realize they are in too deep and are bound to be caught someday. Many have embezzled millions upon millions - too much to spend in China or to get away with. The first step might be to send a son or daughter to study overseas. A spouse soon follows and opens a bank account, or several. Transfers are made and properties in China are sold or registered in a relative's name.

With their escape plan ready to hatch at anytime the official continues in their job, raking in bribes and embezzling as much as they can. At the last moment, perhaps even after an investigation into their corrupt practices has begun, the official simply pockets a fake passport, walks out the door of their home, drives to the airport and leaves China for good, oftentimes getting off scot-free.

These rogues in government have become the latest target that commentators, and the public, love to hate. With a wife or husband and children overseas, little money in the bank here and no home of their own, the often high-flying thieves of the public purse have earned the euphemistic nickname "naked official."

Zhou Peng'an, a member of China Democratic League, one of China's Non-Communist Parties and a popular blogger, asked "How many corrupt officials are naked?" in July 2008.

The answer to Zhou's question varies widely.

Lin Zhe, a well-known anti-corruption expert, speaking angrily at last year's legislative session, estimated that almost 1.2 million officials went naked between 1995 and 2005.

Billions looted

A report by People's Bank of China in June last year suggested corrupt officials had smuggled an estimated 800 billion yuan ($124 billion) out of China between 1995 and 2008. The bank said research by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences indicated that between 16,000 to 18,000 government employees, including police officers, judicial officers, senior managers of government institutions and State-owned companies, had fled abroad during that period.

The bank's report, which was posted on its website but has since been taken off line, was widely reported in the media.

That hasn't stopped people from swapping stories about the costly crimes committed by those who go naked or at least attempt to.

Pang Jiayu, former mayor of Baoji in Shaanxi Province and vice-chairman of Shaanxi People's Political Consultative Conference, was the epitome of a naked official who almost got away with it.

He is now serving a 12-year prison term, while his wife and family are apparently living in luxury in Canada.

In the early 2000s Pang was in charge of huge infrastructure projects worth hundreds of millions of yuan. Just six months after one water installation project was completed - tens of millions over budget, it broke down and an investigation into the shoddy work was launched. It wasn't until a number of Pang's 11 mistresses (he was nicknamed the "zipper mayor") turned on him, that authorities were able to arrest him and prevent him joining his family overseas.

No details are available to show just how much Pang was able to stash in foreign bank accounts and investigators were able to track and confiscate only 200,000 yuan, a pittance of what he is suspected of stealing.

"It seems Pang will have to live a tough life in prison for 12 years, but if he can endure his imprisonment he'll live a sweet life again," wrote Zhou sarcastically on his blog.

Pang's family is said to have emigrated to Canada in 2002 and they are suspected of harboring his fortune in illegally-obtained assets. With a criminal record, however, Canada is not likely to give him a visa to join his family.