Chinese actress Fan Bingbing and her younger brother Fan Chengcheng have been publicly called out over an alleged debt. In 2017, Fan Bingbing’s company, Ai Meishen, and Haile Film & TV jointly invested in the production of the drama The Legend of Ba Qing, which has now been unable to air given the scandal surrounding the actress and co-star Gao Yunxiang. A court ruling later ordered Fan Bingbing’s company to repay Haile Film & TV.
What Happened?
Haile Film & TV recently issued an open letter titled, “Miss Fan, Please return the money,” claiming they had “not received a single penny.” According to them, the Beijing court issued a judgment on September 7, 2021, ordering Ai Meishen to repay approximately RMB 67 million (about USD 10 million), along with late-payment penalties, but the latter allegedly didn’t comply citing bankruptcy. Haile Film & TV further alleged that between 2018 and 2020, Ai Meishen had transferred hundreds of millions of yuan out to siblings Fan Bingbing and Fan Chengcheng’s respective companies, which is why it called on both parties to explain the situation and settle the debt.
Fan Bingbing’s Studio Issues a Response
In response , Fan Bingbing’s side issued a statement through lawyers. They stressed that the company’s debts should not automatically become personal responsibility. Fan Bingbing’s studio says it actually transferred RMB 152 million into Ai Meishen, mainly for back taxes and fines, and also raised RMB 20 million to repay Haile. They warned against disclosing non-public information, alleging that using the internet to damage another’s reputation could result in criminal liability.
Fan Chengcheng Was Only 17 Then
Similarly, Fan Chengcheng’s side denied claims that Ai Meishen transferred nearly RMB 10 million to his company and explained the the actual transaction was the reverse with Fan Chengcheng’s studio transferring RMB 15 million to Ai Meishen to assist with debt repayment. It also stated that Fan Chengcheng was not a shareholder of Ai Meishen. Furthermore, it was explained that he was only 17 and had not yet entered the entertainment industry when the investment agreement for The Legend of Ba Qing was signed in 2017. Many of his fans defended him saying his sister’s issues should not affect him by relation.
