Police in Beijing arrested a man this week for attempting to defraud Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu.
The Beijing Public Security Bureau said in a statement on Thursday that a man identified only by the name Liu confessed to trying to convincing Wu’s mother to send 500,000 yuan (about $97,000 CAD) to Du Meizhu, a 19-year-old accusing Wu of sexual assault. He then tried to get another 2.5 million yuan (about $485,000 CAD) for himself.
The man reportedly contacted Du after seeing rumours online last month and obtained enough information to be able to pose as her lawyer. Police said Du was not part of the scheme.
Du accused Wu in an interview with NetEase Entertainment of luring teenage girls into having sex with him by offering opportunities in music or acting. She claimed there are at least seven other victims, including two who were minors at the time of the alleged assaults. (In China, the age of consent is 14 – two years lower than in Canada.)
Du said she was 17 when she was invited to Wu’s house under the pretence of doing an audition. She alleged that she was pressured to consume alcohol and later woke up in his bed.
Wu has denied the allegations but acknowledged meeting Du one time last December. "[I] didn't force alcohol on her ... and certainly didn't do the things that she described,” he wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo. “There were many people at the gathering that day, they can testify to this.”
The 30-year-old former member of EXO, who spent most of his childhood in Vancouver, added: "I didn't seduce, drug, or rape anyone! There were no underage girls.”
Police have said only that they are investigating allegations Wu “repeatedly deceived young women into sexual relations.”
According to Asia One, Du threatened Wu on Weibo. "I give you 24 hours to prepare a press conference to announce your retirement from the Chinese showbiz industry. Then you can compensate the companies you worked with, apologize to them, and try to remove all the products and fixtures that carry your face," she wrote. "Then, you hand-write an apology letter to all of us victims and post it on your Weibo account for 72 hours. After that, you leave China immediately. You are not worthy to be on this land. You came from Canada, you go back there.
"I can destroy your reputation even without naming the other victims. Go get ready now. Mr Wu, it's war this time.”
The scandal has already cost Wu several endorsement deals with brands like Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Porsche, Lancôme, and L’Oreal.
Wu's management company dismissed Du's story as a fabrication and vowed legal action against her for defamation.
Wu has not been charged with a crime and none of the allegations have been proven in a court.