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Chinese heartthrob Deng Lun’s career in limbo after top brands sever partnerships following US$16.7 million tax evasion fine
- The Shanghai tax authority said Deng had used fake business deals to hide his personal income
- The tax evasion fine is the latest in a string of similar penalties targeting Chinese celebrities
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Global and Chinese brands cancelled their partnerships with Chinese idol Deng Lun, the star of Netflix’s Ashes of Love, after he was fined 106 million yuan (US$16.7 million) for tax evasion on Tuesday.
Deng, 29, became the latest in a string of Chinese celebrities whose careers have been derailed after hefty tax evasion fines.
A series of corporations, including Unilever and L’Oreal, said they had ended their partnership with Deng after the fine announcement on Tuesday. Mainland companies like home appliance maker Viomi and the dairy brand Junlebao also cancelled their deals with him.
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Deng is also Bulgari’s China ambassador, and the brand has yet to announce any decision about their working relationship.
Deng’s social media presence was scrubbed from Weibo and Douyin, two of China’s most influential online platforms, where he had 40 million and 20 million followers, respectively.
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The Shanghai Municipal Tax Service said Deng had attempted to hide his personal income by creating fictitious business deals between 2019 and 2020. The 106-million-yuan fine included unpaid taxes, late fees and a criminal penalty.
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