On October 17, 2024, it was reported that Zhang Zetian, the wife of Liu Qiangdong, the founder of the Chinese JD Group, sparked online speculation about her possible connection to the “Illuminati” due to wearing a unique brooch at an art exhibition. Currently, Liu Qiangdong and Zhang Zetian have filed a report with the public security authorities.
According to reports from “First Finance” and “Daily Economic News,” on October 16, lawyer Zhou Junwu from Beijing Jincheng Tongda Law Firm released a statement on his personal social media account on behalf of Liu Qiangdong and Zhang Zetian, addressing the recent rumors spreading online about Zhang Zetian joining the “Illuminati” and maliciously defaming the couple’s family and personal life. The statement aimed to clarify the facts and mitigate any impact.
Additionally, Lawyer Zhou Junwu included a statement mentioning that Liu Qiangdong and Zhang Zetian have reported the case to the public security authorities, which have accepted the case and are currently investigating it.
Subsequently, the official Weibo account of JD Group, under the handle “JD Spokesperson,” reposted this statement, highlighting the widespread dissemination of false information online regarding Zhang Zetian joining the “Illuminati” and efforts to vilify Liu Qiangdong and Zhang Zetian’s family and personal life. Organized online forces have been actively spreading tens of thousands of false rumors within a short period.
According to public records, the Illuminati is a secret society founded in Bavaria in 1776 and has often been the subject of various conspiracy theories alleging involvement in global affairs control.
As previously reported by People’s Daily, on October 7, 2024, the inaugural Tsinghua Alumni London Art Exhibition opened. The exhibition, jointly organized by the UK Tsinghua Alumni Association (UKTA) and Zhang Zetian, the honorary chairman of the JD Public Welfare Foundation and a Tsinghua alumna, took place.
As the producer of the exhibition, Zhang Zetian also attended the opening ceremony.
In an article on Sohu.com, it was mentioned that Zhang Zetian appeared at the Tsinghua Alumni London Art Exhibition wearing a black suit with lace straps underneath. However, some netizens raised questions about the brooch she was wearing, which featured a single eye symbol.
The article suggested that the elaborate brooch, positioned prominently, carried a sense of conspicuousness, with the lifelike eye symbol speaking volumes. As a result, speculations arose among people that Zhang Zetian may have joined a foreign organization.
However, Zhang Zetian’s stylist, Jiang Chenghao, publicly responded on October 11, stating that the brooch worn by Zhang Zetian at the art exhibition was from the French fashion brand Chaumet, completely unrelated to the alleged organization circulating on the internet. He hoped that people would focus more on the exhibition and the artists themselves.
According to public records, Zhang Zetian, originally from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, gained popularity in 2009 due to a viral photo of her holding a cup of milk tea, earning her the nickname “Milk Tea Sister.” In 2011, she was admitted to Tsinghua University through the “Foreign Language School Recommendation” program. In 2015, Zhang Zetian and Liu Qiangdong held their wedding in Australia. Currently, she serves as the honorary chairman of the JD Public Welfare Foundation and a fashion brand expansion consultant for JD.