A young man in China was detained after he flaunted an impressive cash gift of 180 million yuan (US$25 million) from his grandmother for his birthday, only to later be discovered to have fabricated the entire story.
On October 5, the man was exposed for showcasing luxury cars, jewellery, and antiques on his Douyin account @dongdonganan. He also commented on another user’s post, claiming that his grandmother had given him 180 million yuan for his 20th birthday.
Faced with scepticism from others, he posted a screenshot of his bank account, which allegedly showed savings of 2.4 billion yuan (US$335 million).
Additionally, he shared a letter of appointment for a senior family member supposedly issued by China’s State Council and an old group photo of officials from the People’s Liberation Army, implying that a relative held a prestigious position.
On October 31, internet police in southwestern China’s Guizhou province revealed that the man, surnamed Tian, had fabricated his wealth and manipulated photos to gain followers and profit from online gambling. Authorities stated that he had been detained for disturbing public order and cyberspace regulations while engaging in online gambling activities.
Despite Tian’s deception, comments on his posts reflected a wider societal frustration regarding wealth inequality in China.
