Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing took to social media for the first time in months Wednesday to apologise to fans and the Communist Party for tax evasion, shortly after news broke that authorities had ordered her to pay nearly $130 million in back taxes and fines.
The 36-year-old actress, model and producer had been a ubiquitous household name in China for years and tasted Hollywood success with a role in the 2014 blockbuster 'X-Men: Days of Future Past.'
But she disappeared from the public eye and her once active social media presence went silent in May after allegations emerged that she had evaded taxes on a lucrative movie shoot, charges her studio called 'slander'.
Chinese actress Fan Bingbing has disappeared from public view after the scandal over her tax evasion
The 36-year-old actress was previously the highest paid Chinese actress following her role in X-Men (pictured)
Her sudden absence from screens and advertisements across the country spurred rumors that she had been snatched by officials at a time when Beijing is cracking down on what it views as excesses in the film and television industry.
Chinese tax authorities have now laid at least part of the mystery to rest, ruling that both Fan and companies controlled by her failed to pay tens of millions of dollars in taxes, the official Xinhua news service reported on Wednesday.
The report said Fan would have to pay a total of 883 million yuan ($129 million) in owed taxes, fines and penalties, adding that she would avoid criminal prosecution as long as she met a repayment deadline.
At least one other person implicated in the probe has been detained for further investigation related to concealing and 'deliberately destroying' accounting documents, Xinhua added without detailing that person's identity.
Fan took to China's Twitter-like Weibo on Wednesday to acknowledge her wrongs, beg for her supporters' forgiveness, and apologise to 'society, the friends who care about me, the public and the national tax authorities.'
'Without the Party and country's good policies, without the loving attention of the masses, there would be no Fan Bingbing,' she wrote to her 62 million followers.
Fan and companies controlled by her failed to pay tens of millions of dollars in taxes, a report this week concluded
However, many net users felt the penalty for Fan's offences was not heavy enough.
'How come she could escape criminal prosecution?' user Guzi314 said on Weibo. 'So does this mean that you won't face jail time for stealing money from the government?'
'What is 883 million yuan ($129 million) to the richest actress in China?' said user Ziyu Shizuipiao. 'To her, it's just the remuneration for several of her movies. Fan Bingbing is way richer. Everything is going to go away after a year or so, and she will still be allowed to make millions in the entertainment industry.'
Net users have also compared Fan's incident with another tax evasion case, in which former flight attendant Li Xiaohang was fined 500,000 yuan ($73,000) and sentenced to 11 years jail in 2013 for smuggling cosmetics from duty-free shops in South Korea and evading up to 1.13 million yuan ($165,000) worth of taxes.
Li later had her fine and prison sentence reduced to 40,000 yuan ($58,000) and three years respectively following an appeal.
She will now be forced to repay a total of 883 million yuan ($129 million) in taxes and fines after a court ruling
'Not fair when other tax evaders all faced criminal prosecution and had to go to jail,' user Wodejiandancool said. 'The amount of tax that Fan evaded is for sure larger than the flight attendant's.'
'The flight attendant is probably crying in the toilet right now,' another user Alilangyo said.
However, some Fan's supporters stood by her side.
'She has apologised and said she'll pay the fine,' Kuaileshiguang9153 said. 'What more do you want from Bingbing?'
Following the investigation into Fan, authorities have declared a wider crackdown on the entertainment industry, Xinhua said.
Offenders are being offered an amnesty until December 31 to pay any taxes they owe.
Who are the highest paid actors and actresses in China?
Chinese actress Fan Bingbing and singer and actor Lu Han are among the highest paid celebrities in China, according to Forbes
Here are the top five highest paid celebrities in China last year, according to Forbes China. The list also takes into account their popularity, commercial value and media exposure.
1. Fan Bingbing (范冰冰), actress, 300 million yuan (£33 million)
2. Lu Han (鹿晗), actor and singer, 210 million yuan (£23 million)
3. Yang Mi (杨幂), actress, 200 million yuan (£22 million)
4. Zhao Liying (赵丽颖), actress, 190 million yuan (£21 million)
5. Yang Yang (杨洋), actor, 240 million yuan (£27 million)
Fan's troubles began in May soon after she appeared on the red carpet at Cannes film festival when a former presenter for state-run China Central Television (CCTV) posted a purported movie shoot contract.
The documents suggested Fan was officially paid 10 million yuan ($1.45 million) for a project while unofficially receiving an additional 50 million yuan - all for four days of work.
So-called 'yin and yang' dual contract arrangements - with one contract for income declared to tax authorities while the other is kept secret - are reported to be used in China to evade taxes.
After the contract documents went viral, the national tax administration announced it had instructed authorities in eastern Jiangsu province to investigate alleged use of such dual contracts in the entertainment industry.
Fan was not mentioned by name but she has businesses registered in Jiangsu.
Last year, Fan topped Forbes magazine's list of top-earning Chinese celebrities with income of 300 million yuan ($43 million).
She is one of five leading international actresses cast in the forthcoming Hollywood spy thriller '355', alongside Jessica Chastain and Penelope Cruz.
But her star has dimmed among authorities in China.
A recent report by academics listing the 'social ranking' of Chinese celebrities placed Fan at the very bottom with a score of zero.
The study was widely carried by Chinese state media.
hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2018/10/03/chinese-x-men-actress-fan-bingbing-ordered-to-pay-100million-in-taxes/
Main photo article Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing took to social media for the first time in months Wednesday to apologise to fans and the Communist Party for tax evasion, shortly after news broke that authorities had ordered her to pay nearly $130 million in back taxes and fines.
The 36-year-old actress, model...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2018/10/03/07/wire-4719794-1538549555-100_634x422.jpg
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