A former bank executive who allegedly used three fake identity cards to buy numerous houses may face criminal penalties, including imprisonment for forgery of official documents, experts said.

Gong Aiai, 49, a former deputy chief of Shenmu Rural Commercial Bank in Yulin, Shaanxi province, was accused in online posts and media reports of possessing four hukou, or household registrations, and owning four identity cards.

If police find the allegations to be true, Gong may face criminal charges up to 10 years in prison for forging official documents, said Wang Faxu, a lawyer in Beijing.