Overseasidol.com — On May 19, Beijing Daozhang Law Firm released an official statement announcing that they have formally accepted the legal representation of Mr. Yu Pijie, father of popular Chinese actress and singer Esther Yu Shuxin in a defamation case concerning false and damaging rumors circulating online.
The law firm confirmed that they are actively gathering evidence and pursuing legal proceedings against internet users who have accused Mr. Yu of “embezzling 1.5 billion yuan in state assets” and engaging in “government-business collusion”, claims that have gone viral across Chinese social platforms.
The controversy was triggered earlier in the day by a post from Zhu Ming, screenwriter of the hit series “Whirlwind Girl”, who voiced skepticism over the prevalence of celebrities flaunting “wealthy family backgrounds” in the entertainment industry.
“I’ve been waiting for the dirt on her family to come out—it was only a matter of time,” Zhu wrote, in a post that many believe was indirectly aimed at Esther.
He further claimed that “99.99999% of celebrities who market themselves as coming from rich families have something to hide,”.
Following Zhu’s comments, netizens uncovered that Xinyu Huashang Mining Co., Ltd., a company controlled by Yu Pijie, had previously formed a joint venture with the state-owned Xinyu Iron & Steel Group, with a 49% to 51% shareholding ratio.
Some speculated that this business relationship may involve illegal profit transfers, although no concrete legal evidence has surfaced to substantiate these claims.
By taking legal action, Yu Pijie aims to defend his reputation and set a legal precedent for addressing online defamation.
The case also serves as a broader caution against the spread of unverified rumors and the dangers of trial-by-social-media.
