A Chinese businessman who once called President Xi Jinping a “clown” and slammed him over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic was sentenced to 18 years in prison Tuesday for corruption and bribery.

Ren Zhiqiang, the former chairman of state-owned real estate group Huayuan, was convicted for illegal gains totaling $16.5 million, according to Reuters.

Nicknamed “Cannon Ren” for his social media broadsides, Ren, 69, was detained in March after referring to Xi as “a clown stripped naked who insisted on continuing being emperor” after a speech the president made about Beijing’s efforts to battle the coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan.

Ren was later probed for a “serious disciplinary violation,” expelled from the ruling Communist Party and charged with economic crimes, including using official funds on golf expenses.

He was convicted of corruption, bribery, embezzlement of public funds and abuse of power, the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court announced, adding that Ren said he wouldn’t appeal.

Ren had assailed propaganda that portrayed Xi and other leaders as rescuing the nation from the coronavirus without mentioning where it began and possible mistakes including suppressing information at the outset.

“People did not see any criticism at the conference. It didn’t investigate and disclose the truth,” Ren wrote, according to a copy published by China Digital Times, a website in California.

“No one reviewed or took responsibility. But they are trying to cover up the truth with all kinds of great achievements.”

In Tuesday’s judgment after a Sept. 11 trial, the court said Ren had “voluntarily confessed to all charges” and paid back all the money he had unlawfully gained.

In addition to the prison sentence, he was fined 4.2 million yuan, or about $620,000.

With Post wires