Even with billionaires I would rather see them imprisoned where possible. Of course we know from experience that it often isn’t, but still. I certainly wouldn’t shed any tears over losing them, but I don’t support the death penalty under pretty much any circumstances, with only a few exceptions.

Pu Yi was very successfully rehabilitated by the CPC iirc, and he was literally installed as a puppet ruler by imperial Japan. I think that was a genuine triumph.