Chinese billionaire Richard Liu will not face charges over the alleged rape of a woman in Minnesota because prosecutors said they could not prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Liu, founder of the Beijing-based e-commerce site JD.com, was arrested August 31 in Minneapolis on suspicion of felony rape and released within hours. He returned to China.
Prosecutors said that 'profound evidentiary problems' would have made it 'highly unlikely' that any charge could have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Liu was alleged to have attacked a 21-year-old Chinese student at the University of Minnesota after they went out for dinner as part of a group on August 30.
Chinese billionaire Richard Liu (pictured) will not face charges over the alleged rape of a woman in Minnesota
Liu, 45, had been a student with the Carlson School of Management's doctor of business administration China program and was in Minneapolis for a week-long residency at the time.
In a statement, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said that as prosecutors reviewed surveillance video, text messages, police body camera video and witness statements, 'it became clear that we could not meet our burden of proof and, therefore, we could not bring charges'.
After the prosecutor's decision was announced, Liu issued a statement on his Chinese social media account saying: 'This proves I broke no law'.
'My interactions with this woman, however, have hurt my family greatly, especially my wife.
'I feel deep regret and remorse and I hope she can accept my sincere apology. I will continue to try in every possible way to repair the impact on my family and to fulfill my responsibility as a husband,' Liu said in his statement.
Jill Brisbois, an attorney for Liu, welcomed the prosecutor's decision.
'This confirms our strong belief from the very beginning that my client is innocent,' Brisbois said in a statement.
He said Liu was arrested 'based on a false claim' and that the investigation, 'with which he fully cooperated', vindicates him.
Chinese billionaire Richard Liu (pictured) was arrested in August after a student claimed he raped her in her apartment after a night of drinking while at a dinner with a large group
Richard Liu (left) said his interactions with the woman hurt his family in particular his wife Zhang Zetian (right)
'Even though the prosecutor determined no criminal charges were warranted, Mr. Liu's reputation has been damaged like anyone falsely accused of a crime,' Brisbois said.
Wil Florin, an attorney for the woman, said prosecutors never spoke to her before deciding not to charge Liu.
Florin said prosecutors never asked to meet with the woman, a Chinese citizen studying at the University of Minnesota on a student visa, and never asked her a question.
Liu is an internet entrepreneur and one of the country’s wealthiest men in China
Liu, the alleged victim and a group of others had dined at Origami restaurant (pictured)
'Instead, they waited 4 months until late Friday before the Christmas holiday and issued a press release without even giving her the common courtesy of a meeting to advise her of their intentions,' Florin said.
Minneapolis Police Department spokesman John Elder said, however, that police had spoken with the woman 'a number of times'.
Florin later said the woman is planning to sue.
In a statement, Florin said a civil jury should determine whether Liu, JD.com and their representatives 'should be held accountable for the events of that night.
'We look forward to that jury hearing the full and complete story.'
Liu's lawyer Jill Brisbois (left) said the prosecutors decision confirmed their belief that his client was innocent. The woman's lawyer Wil Florin (right) said she is planning to take a civil action
He would not give details of the planned lawsuit, but told The Associated Press it would be in the US.
The woman has not been publicly identified. She is still enrolled at the university, Florin said.
On the night of the alleged attack, Liu and other executives went to Origami, a Japanese restaurant in Minneapolis. The woman went to the dinner as a volunteer, Florin said. She felt coerced to drink as the powerful men toasted her, he said.
Text messages reviewed by The Associated Press and portions of the woman's interviews with police show the woman claims Liu dragged her into a vehicle and made advances, despite her protests.
The woman texted a friend: 'I begged him don't. But he didn't listen.' She said he raped her at her apartment.
Liu, known in Chinese as Liu Qiangdong, is a prominent member of the Chinese tech elite , with a fortune of $7.5 billion.
He is part of a generation of entrepreneurs who have created China's internet, e-commerce, mobile phone and other technology industries since the late 1990s.
The son of peasants, Liu built a Beijing electronics shop into JD.com, China's biggest online direct retailer, selling everything from clothes to toys to fresh vegetables.
He has continued to lead the company since his arrest.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2018/12/22/chinese-billionaire-accused-of-raping-a-student-will-not-face-charges/
Main photo article Chinese billionaire Richard Liu will not face charges over the alleged rape of a woman in Minnesota because prosecutors said they could not prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Liu, founder of the Beijing-based e-commerce site JD.com, was arrested August 31 in Minneapolis on suspicion of...
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 US News HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/22/03/7725016-6522135-image-a-54_1545451074995.jpg
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