Recently, mainland China veteran actress Liu Xiaoqing, who just made a glamorous appearance on the red carpet of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, was reported to have been accused of tax evasion and tax fraud on the 15th. Previously, Liu Xiaoqing was imprisoned for 422 days in 2002 due to alleged tax issues. Now, being involved in a new case has sparked attention, with the news quickly spreading and gaining traction. Liu Xiaoqing promptly responded, stating that she does not know the accuser and that the content of the report is “malicious and inconsistent with the facts.”
According to reports from “Sina Finance,” a “Mr. Wang” from Shenzhen reported that Liu Xiaoqing converted a loan of 3.3 million yuan into personal income through a small micro-enterprise named Shanghai Yixi Cultural Media Center, under the guise of “image endorsement fees,” and issued value-added tax invoices at a 6% tax rate to evade more than 27% of personal income tax.
The report mentioned that Liu Xiaoqing’s company was established in 2017 with a registered capital of only 30,000 yuan. The accuser stated that the company has no actual operational location, employees, or records of social security contributions, suspected of issuing false invoices to evade taxes. Currently, the tax authorities have taken on the case and will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the company and related parties.
As is well known, Liu Xiaoqing endured 422 days of prison life from June 20, 2002, to August 16, 2003, at the Beijing Qin Cheng Prison for alleged tax evasion. However, in 2015, in her autobiography “Not Afraid to Start Over,” Liu Xiaoqing recounted her life from its peak to its lowest point and her experience before and after her imprisonment, asserting that she was wronged, claiming that she had never acted unrighteously or engaged in any covert dealings, attributing her incarceration to her youthful indiscretion and offending someone.
According to revelations from overseas princelings, Liu Xiaoqing caught the eye of Jiang Zemin at Deng Xiaoping’s home in the past, but Liu Xiaoqing did not buy it and even ridiculed Jiang Zemin, sowing the seeds of her downfall, ultimately being schemed against and imprisoned by Jiang Zemin.
Recently, the drama series “Bending Down,” in which Liu Xiaoqing stars, is currently airing, with her playing the crucial role of “Madam Xu,” the grandmother of the male lead played by Liu Yuning. Due to the tax issues of the female lead, Song Zuer, which were exposed 2 years ago and delayed the drama’s release until May 13, now with another cast member being investigated for tax evasion, many viewers lament, “Oh, my ‘Bending Down,’ don’t want to bend down again.”
The report stated that if the investigation confirms Liu Xiaoqing’s illegality, she may face the removal of scenes, suspension of the drama series, or editing through AI faceswapping. Some netizens questioned the timing of the report in relation to the drama’s popularity, suggesting possible malicious competition and commercial interest games.
However, the latest news indicates that Liu Xiaoqing swiftly responded to the report of being reported by “Mr. Wang for tax evasion,” stating that she does not know the accuser and that the reported content is “malicious and inconsistent with the facts.” She mentioned that the court ruled that the loan described by Wang has no relation to her and, after Wang’s defeat, he instigated public opinion on the internet and used tax investigations for personal gain, condemning his reprehensible behavior.