Chinese internet celebrity “Tie Tou”, who previously vandalized the Yasukuni Shrine in Japan, received endorsement from the Chinese Communist Party’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, recently, “Tie Tou” has been arrested on suspicion of extortion. He is accused of using the threat of exposing negative information to demand hundreds of grams of gold from a popular livestreamer.
According to an official Weibo post from the Hangzhou Binjiang District Police Association, on August 27th, the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau Binjiang Branch announced that “recently, our bureau has filed a criminal investigation against Dong Moumou (online alias ‘Tie Tou’) and others on suspicion of extortion.”
The report stated, “In May 2024, Dong Moumou, Xue Mou, Xu Moumou, and others conspired to threaten a livestreamer with exposing negative information, demanding hundreds of grams of gold, and promised protection after payment. After multiple negotiations, the livestreamer transferred a large sum of money to the designated account. Currently, Dong Moumou and others have been taken into custody by public security authorities, and the case is under further investigation.”
Just before the Hangzhou police released the abovementioned report, a confiscation order from the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau Binjiang Branch began circulating online.
According to the circulated confiscation order from the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau Binjiang Branch, Dong Moumou, male, born in 1987, residing in a certain community in the Binjiang District of Hangzhou. It was revealed that during an investigation into an extortion case involving Guo Moumou in the Binjiang District of Hangzhou, the following items were confiscated: 3 Apple phones, 1 mobile hard drive, and 59 supermarket cards each labeled with “100”.
On August 27th, an employee of the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau Binjiang Branch confirmed that “Tie Tou” had indeed been arrested, and the case was being handled, with no further details disclosed.
According to a report by “Xiaoxiang Morning News,” an employee from the Binjiang Public Security Branch Criminal Investigation Brigade stated that the brigade had intervened and would release an announcement when appropriate.
After Tie Tou’s arrest, an article from The Paper commented that his purported activities of exposing fraud and protecting rights, “while appearing to uphold justice, in reality, are illegal businesses. The pursuit of traffic has become a tool for exploiting private interests.”
In March 2023, “Tie Tou” (real name Dong Guangming) started posting short videos related to exposing fraud, including issues at the Sanya Seafood Market, fraudulent scams in jewelry auctions, and elderly health product scams, amassing millions of followers.
In August 2023, Tie Tou reported on irregular tutoring practices at New Oriental. Later that year in November, he publicly acknowledged the punishment imposed by Hangzhou’s Gongshu District Urban Management and Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau for New Oriental’s subject-specific tutoring violations.
In October 2023, Tie Tou also released a video hinting at exposing fraudulent behavior in Dongfangtian Selection. In response, Dongfangtian Selection stated, “Recently, a certain online anchor has misused the name of ‘exposing fraud,’ distorted facts, maliciously ‘protected rights,’ and spread a large amount of defamatory information about Dongfangtian Selection, seriously damaging the company’s reputation and causing trouble for consumers. We have issued a lawyer’s letter and will take necessary measures to protect our legitimate rights and interests.”
In the early hours of November 4, 2023, Tie Tou posted a video on TikTok, offering a formal apology to Dongfangtian Selection and Dong Yuhui.
In January of this year, Tie Tou attracted controversy during a live stream at 1:30 am, where he revealed his involvement in adult content, leading to reports and boycotts. In February, his accounts on platforms like TikTok, Kwai, and Weibo were banned.
On the evening of May 31st, Tie Tou urinated on a pillar inscribed with the words “Yasukuni Shrine” in Tokyo, then spray-painted the English word “toilet” on it. He fled Japan after the incident and is currently being sought by Japanese authorities.
This incident has sparked outrage in Japan, with some individuals offering a reward of 10 million yen (approximately $70,000) for the capture of “Tie Tou.”
Regarding the destruction of the Yasukuni Shrine by the Chinese internet celebrity, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, did not condemn Tie Tou’s actions during a June 3rd press conference. Instead, the spokesperson called on the Japanese side to “reflect on their aggressive history.”
However, mainland Chinese netizens criticized Tie Tou, saying, “One rat spoiled the whole pot of soup.”
Regarding why the Chinese government is fueling hatred among Chinese people towards the Yasukuni Shrine, Li Muyang from “News Perspective” mentioned in a program on June 2nd that it’s because the Yasukuni Shrine contains reasons that the Chinese Communist Party dares not speak of until death. The Yasukuni Shrine meticulously records the number of deaths of invading Japanese troops, with 318,883 killed by the Nationalist Government forces, 126,607 killed by Soviet forces, and only 851 killed by Communist forces. The Chinese Communist Party has always portrayed itself as the backbone of the anti-Japanese movement, but this record of Japanese soldiers exposes the Party’s lies.