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Jonathan White

Former Aston Villa owner Tony Xia Jiantong has fallen foul of Chinese authorities and is set to be arrested, according to reports from mainland media.
Chinese sports newspaper Titan Sports reported the news that an arrest warrant was out on Xia on their Twitter account on Thursday afternoon.
“Yuancheng Cable (002692), a listed company in Shenzhen Stock Exchange, published a notice: Police is authorised to arrest Tony Xia, their former actual controller, due to ‘suspected defection causing damages to the company’s interests’. Tony Xia used to be the owner of Aston Villa,” they wrote.
Xia took over the Villa Park side when they were in the Championship. The then 39-year-old owner of Recon Group paid a reported £60 million (HK$683.46 million) for the Birmingham-based side.

Yuancheng Cable(002692), a listed company in Shenzhen Stock Exchange, published a notice: Police is authorized to arrest Tony Xia, their former actual controller, due to ‘suspected defection causing damages to the company's interests’. Tony Xia used to be the owner of Aston Villa pic.twitter.com/33cC6JFMma
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) January 21, 2021

He lost control of the club in 2019 after failing to pay back a loan, while he was unable to put money into the club because of tightening capital outflows in China.
The club skirted close to the edge during Xia’s time in charge, facing several unpaid tax bills from the UK government.
Tony Xia era over at Aston Villa after unpaid debt
Several owners and former owners of European football clubs have struggled financially, with many losing control of their clubs.
While some sold, others defaulted on loans, as Xia did to the English Premier League side’s current owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
AC Milan owner Li Yonghong was another high-profile example of an owner who lost control by defaulting on a loan, while their city rivals Inter Milan who have been owned by Chinese retail giant Suning are reportedly up for sale.


Li was also blacklisted by Chinese courts in 2018.
Professor Simon Chadwick pointed to the pattern in a post on Twitter.
“Ah yes, Tony Xia....remember him!?!?,” Chadwick wrote. “There‘s a clear pattern emerging in which people who invested in overseas football clubs during period 2015-17 are now finding themselves under increasing threat of investigation by Chinese authorities....”
Are Wigan Athletic woes just Birmingham City 2.0?
Villa were one of several English clubs to have Chinese ownership, with several still maintaining ties.
West Bromwich Albion, Southampton and Wolves in the English Premier League are majority owned by Chinese investors, while Manchester City has minority investment from China.
Lower down the leagues Birmingham City are among the high-profile clubs to have investors from the mainland and Hong Kong.


Premier League to branch out with new Singapore streaming service, could Hong Kong follow?

Hong Kong-born Daniel Bennie chasing Premier League dream with Championship club QPR

Man City, Juventus ‘exploring summer options’ over Hong Kong Football Festival

Man Utd’s co-owner Jim Ratcliffe apologises for ‘language’ on immigration after backlash

English Premier League

Former Aston Villa owner Tony Xia faces arrest in China

Recon Group CEO Tony Xia attends a news conference for Recon Group's acquisition of English football club Aston Villa in Beijing, China in 2016. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football - Championship Play-Off Final - Fulham vs Aston Villa - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - May 26, 2018 Aston Villa owner Tony Xia Jiantong watches on from the stands Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

Aston Villa’s Tony Xia era over as Chinese billionaire fails to pay US$36 million debt to former owner Randy Lerner

Aston Villa owner Tony Xia watches the club at Wembley in the 2018 Championship play-off final. Photo: Reuters

Chinese-owned Aston Villa in crisis with unpaid US$5.6m tax bill threatening club’s existence and Tony Xia ‘ready to sell up’

Aston Villa owner Tony Xia watches his side’s play-off loss to Fulham at Wembley. Photo: Reuters

FILE PHOTO: Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - May 15, 2018 Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce gestures Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough/File Photo

(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 26, 2018 Aston Villa's English defender John Terry applauds their supporters ahead of kick off in the English Championship play-off final football match between Aston Villa and Fulham at Wembley Stadium in London on May 26, 2018. Former England captain John Terry said on May 31, 2018 he was leaving Aston Villa and admitted he was "still hurting" after failing to help the Championship club reach the Premier League. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

Aston Villa’s owner Tony Xia to take majority stake in Hollywood Millennium Films

Tony Xia, chairman of Recon Group, has secured a majority stake in Hollywood studio via a Shenzhen-listed subsidiary he controls. Photo: Reuters

Wang Jianlin, billionaire and chairman and president of Dalian Wanda Group Co., gestures as he speaks during a panel session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017. World leaders, influential executives, bankers and policy makers attend the 47th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos from Jan. 17 - 20. Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg

Aston Villa owner Tony Xia sets his sights on Hollywood with studio investments

Tony Xia, the Aston Villa chairman, says his latest ventures won’t distract him from guiding the team back to the English Premier League. Photo: Reuters

Leicester City's Esteban Cambiasso (R) shoots his free kick into the Aston Villa wall during their FA Cup fifth round soccer match at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England February 15, 2015. REUTERS/Darren Staples (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER)

No Caption Available.

Steve Bruce confirmed as Aston Villa manager by new Chinese owner Tony Xia

Steve Bruce is Aston Villa’s new manager. Photo: AFP

REFILE-ADDITIONAL CAPTION INFORMATION Xia Jiantong, the chairman of Recon Group, who has agreed to buy English soccer club Aston Villa, poses for pictures in his office in Beijing, China May 19, 2016. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Sport

Football

China


Mainland police have reportedly authorised the arrest of Xia, who bought Aston Villa in 2016



Mainland police have reportedly authorised the arrest of Tony Xia Jiantong, who bought Aston Villa in 2016.


Fifa

Uefa

Former Aston Villa owner Tony Xia faces arrest in China

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Mainland police have reportedly authorised the arrest of Xia, who bought Aston Villa in 2016

Mainland police have reportedly authorised the arrest of Xia, who bought Aston Villa in 2016