The former mayor of the Chinese city of Nanjing has been expelled from the Communist Party, its main disciplinary organ said Thursday.

Ji Jianye was found to have "received a huge amount of money and gifts either by himself or through his family members", the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a statement posted on its website.

It added that the former mayor was deemed "morally corrupt".

Ji -- who earned the nickname "Bulldozer Ji" for his promotion of construction projects in the city of eight million -- was sacked in October for "suspected serious disciplinary violations".

The term typically refers to the corruption that has become endemic in China.

A state-backed newspaper said at the time that he was investigated over economic corruption and construction projects, quoting sources as saying he awarded projects to a company he was connected to.

In China, expulsion from the ruling party is normally a precursor to criminal charges.