BEIJING: A young man in China was detained after he flaunted an impressive cash gift of 180 million yuan (US$25 million) from his grandmother for his birthday, only to later be discovered to have fabricated the entire story.
On Oct 5, the man was exposed for showcasing luxury cars, jewellery, and antiques on his Douyin account @dongdonganan. He also commented on another user’s post, claiming that his grandmother had given him 180 million yuan for his 20th birthday.
Faced with scepticism from others, he posted a screenshot of his bank account, which allegedly showed savings of 2.4 billion yuan (US$335 million).
Additionally, he shared a letter of appointment for a senior family member supposedly issued by China’s State Council and an old group photo of officials from the People’s Liberation Army, implying that a relative held a prestigious position.
On Oct 31, internet police in southwestern China’s Guizhou province revealed that the man, surnamed Tian, had fabricated his wealth and manipulated photos to gain followers and profit from online gambling. Authorities stated that he had been detained for disturbing public order and cyberspace regulations while engaging in online gambling activities.
The young man flaunted his “extravagant lifestyle” on Douyin, offering his followers a glimpse into his lavish world. - Guizhou Internet Police
Despite Tian’s deception, comments on his posts reflected a wider societal frustration regarding wealth inequality in China.
The country’s Gini coefficient, a measure of economic disparity, has remained between 0.46 and 0.49 over the past two decades. A Gini coefficient above 0.4 indicates a significant income gap and heightened social tensions.
One online observer lamented: “Rich people’s pocket money is the wealth I can never achieve in my lifetime.”
Last year, a retired official from the Shenzhen transport bureau was expelled from the Communist Party and had his illicit gains confiscated after his granddaughter boasted about their family wealth online.
The young woman, known by her handle @beijinianyu, claimed in March last year that her family had over “100 million yuan in savings” and the freedom to “live in whichever country she wants.” Her IP address indicated she was posting from Australia.
She also shared photos of her grandfather, joking that his expression resembled that of a “corrupt official”.
Her grandfather was later identified as Zhong Gengci, the former director of the cargo transportation administration of Shenzhen’s municipal transport bureau, who retired in 2007.
Although Zhong denied his granddaughter’s claims, asserting they were fabrications, the city’s Party Commission for Discipline Inspection reported six months later that investigations uncovered his involvement in numerous transgressions, including engaging in illegal profit-making activities, unauthorised part-time work, and accepting bribes. - South China Morning Post
