Right, I think most of these deaths are due to corruption charges. One of the many weird things about China is that corruption is officially illegal, punishable by death, and yet every powerful business person or government official is corrupt by the letter of the law (favors for family, accepting bribes, favoring business that give them money). It's just the way their society has been for a long time.

It's such a dangerous political climate because you can't escape the corruption, so the party can bring you down at any moment if you start being a problem for them.

edit: I should have read the article first. Only some of the deaths are from official corruption charges. The rest I can't say for sure.