In a one-day trial before the Intermediate People’s Court in Hanjiang early this week, Jiang Jiemin, who once headed up China’s biggest oil company, admitted to corruption. And boy was he sorry.

“I relaxed my self-restraint. I betrayed principles and gravely violated the party’s rules and state laws, causing losses for the country that cannot be redeemed.” – Jiang Jiemin in a court summary, as reported by the New York Times.

Jiang was accused of taking bribes while in various posts, including chairman, at China National Petroleum Corporation. In his brief trial, prosecutors connected Jiang’s illegal activities to Zhou Yongkang, China’s former security chief who preceded Jiang at China National Petroleum. Zhou himself has been indicted in China’s corruption crackdown, much of it centered on the oil sector.

A verdict in the Jiang case was expected at a later date, according to the Wall Street Journal.