On August 4th, Chinese criminal defense lawyer Lan He published a lengthy post on his personal Weibo account revealing that Wuhan’s former wealthiest man and billionaire Ai Luming was arrested on July 8th for allegedly illegally absorbing public deposits. Ai Luming is currently detained in Wuhan’s Second Detention Center.
Lan He is a lawyer and partner at Beijing’s Capital Law Firm, as well as the Deputy Director of the National Criminal Committee. He is known for handling high-profile cases that attract widespread attention.
In his article titled “Meeting with Billionaire Ai Luming,” Lan He disclosed his experience of facing obstacles when trying to meet his client Ai Luming. Despite being initially denied due to various excuses like needing approval or receiving medical treatment, Lan He eventually succeeded in meeting Ai Luming through rigorous negotiation. However, subsequent attempts to meet were consistently thwarted, citing reasons such as pending review by investigative units.
The article elaborated on the difficulties encountered by Lan He and another lawyer in meeting Ai Luming on July 30th and 31st.
Lan He expressed concerns about the obstruction of legal rights and raised suspicions about potential abuse of power by the authorities. He emphasized the importance of upholding the fundamental right of lawyers to meet their clients in criminal proceedings and hoped for a fair resolution.
In a separate message on social media, an Australian Chinese scholar, Li Jun, highlighted the arrest of Ai Luming, who is the brother of Ai Xiaoming and a prominent figure in the business world. Li Jun criticized the ongoing crackdown on business figures in China and warned about the pitfalls within the current political system.
Earlier in July, insiders revealed that Ai Luming’s investigation might be related to a financial institution. Public records show that Ai Luming, born in 1957 in Wuhan, is a prominent figure with a background in economics and technology industries. His company, Contemporary Group, faced bankruptcy and restructuring processes in recent years.
In 2023, the collapse of the Contemporary Group’s financial empire led to Ai Luming’s involvement in investigations by regulatory authorities. Subsequently, the company underwent bankruptcy proceedings, with court approval for restructuring announced in April 2025.
The Contemporary Group, with a registered capital of 5.5 billion yuan, under Ai Luming’s leadership, operated industries including pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, culture, and cooperative ventures. As of September 30, 2020, the group’s total assets exceeded 100 billion yuan, signifying its significant presence in various sectors.
The developments surrounding Ai Luming’s legal issues not only reflect the challenges faced by high-profile individuals in the business world but also raise questions about governance and legal processes in China. The intricacies of Ai Luming’s case shed light on broader issues related to corporate governance, financial regulations, and the rule of law in the country. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and whether it will have broader implications for the business landscape in China.