Chinese Actor Du Xudong, a national first-tier actor who previously starred in a birthday video for a leader of a telecom fraud group in Myanmar, was exposed by renowned anti-fraud activist Wang Hai on May 25. It was revealed that Du Xudong recently filmed a promotional video for the fraud group “Yuanben Academy,” targeting elderly individuals, with a fraudulent amount involved totaling over a billion yuan.
According to Wang Hai’s disclosure, in the video recorded for “Yuanben Academy,” Du Xudong enthusiastically claimed, “If you have dreams of learning short video editing, then ‘Yuanben Academy’ is undoubtedly your ideal harbor. This company, with its professional and reliable image, has gained the trust and praise of a large number of learners.”
The modus operandi of “Yuanben Academy,” previously exposed as fraudulent, involves falsely promising that taking their short video editing course can lead to earning substantial money, with a full refund guaranteed if no results are achieved. However, when victims failed to see the promised outcomes after paying tuition, the company not only refused refunds but also persuaded students to purchase additional services to make up for their editing skills’ shortcomings. Through these deceitful tactics, the company has already swindled at least a billion in funds.
One 57-year-old male student sought help from the media, stating that he spent 2,580 yuan initially to learn short video editing from this company, only to end up with nothing. Upon verification, it was discovered that most victims were elderly individuals, including septuagenarians and octogenarians, whose hard-earned retirement savings were deceitfully taken away, causing outrage.
Reports from “Sohu” indicated that as a spokesperson, Du Xudong failed to conduct basic research and instead relied on his own fame to praise without justification. In the midst of this spokesmanship controversy, victims tearfully accused Du Xudong of deception, with one stating, “You’ve deceived me terribly, Du Xudong! Because of your false advertising, I became so angry that I suffered a stroke, losing my health and hard-earned money in vain.”
In a previous incident last year, Du Xudong had recorded a birthday video for a member of the telecom fraud group led by Bai Jia. He later issued a video apology, claiming he was “misled” by a friend.
Du Xudong admitted to not verifying Bai’s background and expressed deep remorse, accepting criticism from netizens and acknowledging the negative impact caused. He mentioned, “Such oversight has let down the vast audience’s love and trust in me. I, like everyone else, strongly detest and condemn the illegal activities of the Myanmar telecom fraud group.”
Public records show that Du Xudong, born in Beijing in 1956, suffered a physical disability at the age of seven after falling down stairs. He joined the army at 16, served as a cultural soldier, and later worked as an artistic editor at the Navy magazine. In 1985, he became an actor at the People’s Liberation Army Navy Drama Troupe, currently serving as the secretary of the actor team at the Navy Political Department Television Arts Center, holding the rank of Colonel and being both a national first-tier actor and an official at the Navy Political Department’s propaganda institution.
Du Xudong, mostly known for supporting roles, has appeared in numerous anti-Japanese and military dramas. Mainland Chinese media has labeled him as a “professional villain,” portraying negative traits such as opportunism, cowardice, and betrayal to perfection.
Following this exposure, Du Xudong’s Weibo comments section has been flooded with criticisms, with netizens remarking, “He can do anything for money,” “This isn’t the first time he’s done something like this,” “Endorsing fraudsters twice in a row indicates he’s not a victim himself,” and “How will Du Xudong respond to this incident?”
Some netizens also mentioned that “Du Xudong is a friend of Sima Nan.” Indeed, Sima Nan, known as the “Great Fifty-Cent Party Member,” stirred controversy last year when he released a video admitting to celebrating the birthday of a Myanmar telecom fraud leader with Du Xudong. Sima Nan later made a video in support of Du Xudong, praising his talents and listing the red-themed works Du had portrayed.