Adamson - Investigative Report Stage 4 1

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Daphne Adamson Investigative Report Paper—Stage 4 Journalistic Writing—DeGross My investigative report follows the strange disappearance of Chinese actress Fan Bingbing. By early October 2018, Fan Bingbing had been missing for a little over three months and the Chinese government did not do anything regarding her disappearance, except note that they were investigating her alleged tax fraud. The Chinese government’s lack of involvement in such a high profile case was extremely strange to the western world, which lead to conspiracy theories about her disappearance. On Oct. 3, 2018, the Chinese government fined her $129 million for tax evasion, leading Fan Bingbing to apologize on Weibo, China’s most popular social media platform, that same day. Fan Bingbing was seen in public at the Beijing airport on October 15, 2018, and has not been in the news since. I will be investigating the facts surrounding her disappearance and her reappearance, ​the influence of shame in collectivistic cultures, the Communist Party’s involvement in the film industry, two famous Chinese celebrities tax fraud cases, and two famous U.S. celebrities tax fraud cases. The Disappearance 18 September, 2018 On Sept. 18, 2018,​ CNN ​published the article “​Fan Bingbing: Has China's Most Famous Actress Been Disappeared by the Communist Party?” China’s most famous, internationally acclaimed actress, Fan Bingbing, has been missing since early July amid her tax evasion scandal that was leaked by Chinese TV host Cui Yongyuan in late May. ​CNN ​said, on Sept. 6 the Chinese state media ​Securities Daily​ published an article, later deleted, stating that Fan Bingbing had been brought “under control and about to receive legal judgement.” The Chinese government

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has not made an official statement on Fan Bingbing’s whereabouts or criminal charges. ​CNN said, the source of Fan Bingbing alleged tax fraud is from having two different contracts: one saying that she was paid $1.5 million that she used for taxes, and another saying that she was paid $7.5 million, according to state tabloid​ Global Times​. The type of tax fraud Fan Bingbing committed is known as a “ying-yang contract.” Fan Bingbing’s disappearance is similar to China’s well-known artist Ai Weiwei’s disappearance in 2011. Ai Weiwei’s whereabouts were unknown for about three months until he was released by the Chinese government after signing a confession for tax evasion. The cause of Fan Bingbing’s disappearance is unknown, but it seems to be related to her tax fraud. The same article investigates the theory of the Chinese government’s possible involvement through the Communist Party’s influence in Chinese celebrity culture. Two reasons as to why it could benefit the Chinese government is to scare celebrities into paying their taxes correctly and the spread positive energy campaign. The Communist Party would benefit from shaming current celebrities who have commited tax fraud in order to prevent other celebrities commiting tax fraud. This would give the Chinese government more tax revenue as well as deflect public scrutiny of rumored corruption committed by the top government officials. The Chinese state media encourages celebrities to spread “positive energy” and to align themselves with the Communist Party’s message, which influences celebrities to maintain positive and inoffensive reputations. 25 September, 2018 Business Insider​ published “Fan Bingbing Was Reportedly Suing a Billionaire Who Accused Her of Sleeping with China's Vice President When She Vanished” on Sept. 25, 2018. This article focuses on Fan Bingbing’s defamation lawsuit against Guo, also known as Miles

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Kwok, and how it could be a factor in her disappearance. Fan Bingbing’s lawyer Andrew Brettler confirmed to Business Insider that she filed a lawsuit against Guo in July 2017 in New York for falsely claiming that Fan had a long-term affair with Vice President Wang and received financial benefit from him. Wang is “the eighth highest ranking official in the Communist Party,” “President Xi Jinping’s right-hand man,” and “the man behind the country’s massive anti-corruption crackdown.” ​Business Insider ​said, Fan’s lawyer Brettler has not heard from Fan Bingbing or her representatives since April, according to the ​Daily Mail.​ ​Business Insider​ also said, Guo claims that Fan Bingbing disappeared because someone in the Chinese Communist Party is using her to try to attack Wang, according to the ​Daily Mail​. Fan’s unknown whereabouts is being speculated by Chinese publications. 01 October, 2018 Later, ​Business Insider​ published “China ‘publicly disappeared’ its most famous actress 3 months ago with only cryptic clues left” on Oct. 1, 2018. Fan Bingbing has been missing for exactly three months to date. Fan Bingbing was accused of tax evasion by journalist Cui, who has his own state-run TV program. Fan Bingbing’s representatives issued a statement soon after accusing Cui of insinuation and defamation, leading Cui to apologize, according to​ Straits Times​. Business Insider​ said, near the end of July, the independent Chinese newspaper​ The Economic Observer​ reported that police were investigating Fan Bingbing’s finances as well as several of her staff members. Shortly after the report was published, it was taken offline. Weibo posts that speculate Fan Bingbing’s whereabouts were removed. ​Business Insider​ said, in early September, roughly two months after Fan Bingbing’s disappearance, China’s state-run ​Securities Daily newspaper published that Fan had been “put under control, and will accept the legal decision.”

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Business Insider​ said, the ​Twain News​ documented this story after the original story was taken offline. Supposedly, there has been virtually no news about Fan Bingbing because China’s state press issued guidelines that forbid news outlets to report on “yin-yang” contracts or tax fraud in the entertainment industry. ​Business Insider​ said, companies that Fan Bingbing advertised for, De Beers and Swisse, suspended her image from their campaigns following her disappearance, according to ​Associated Press​. The Appearance 03 October, 2018 Business Insider​’s Oct. 3, 2018 article “Fan Bingbing was reportedly detained in a luxury holiday resort before China fined her $129 million for tax evasion,” says Chinese authorities detained Fan Bingbing in a luxury holiday resort while investigating her alleged tax evasion, according to the ​South China Morning Post​. Fan Bingbing spoke for the first time in over three months to address her $129 million fine for avoid taxes by signing secret contracts. Fan is no longer detained in the luxury resort, but could be summoned for further questioning. According to the article, Fan Bingbing’s whereabouts are still unknown, but the South China Morning Post claims that “she was secretly detained until two weeks ago.” The Chinese authorities have ordered Fan to repay the money within a certain time frame. If Fan is able to repay the money in time, then she could avoid criminal charges; if she does not repay the money in time, then the tax authorities will transfer her case to the public-security officials. Variety p​ ublished “Fan Bingbing apologizes for tax evasion: ‘I feel ashamed and guilty for what I did’” on Oct. 3, 2018. The article claims that Fan Bingbing made her first public statement on Weibo, admitting to tax fraud. The article claims that Fan Bingbing’s punishment is

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the result of the Chinese government’s attempt to step up its campaign to ensure that all citizens are up to par with the Communist Party, which demands adherence to “core socialist values” and “frowns” on “lavish displays of wealth.” Chinese government officials have launched a larger investigation into the use of double contracts in the entertainment industry. 16 October, 2018 MSN Entertainment​ states in an Oct. 16, 2018 article “Fan Bingbing’s fiance Li Chen breaks silence: ‘We will get through this together’” that on October 5, Li Chen, Fan Bingbing’s fiance, posted on Weibo, “No matter how difficult it may be, we will get through this together.” This was Li Chen’s first post since early July. Before Fan Bingbing’s scandal, she and Li Chen were one of China’s most famous high-profile celebrity romances and showed their affection publicly on-screen and on social media. Asia One’s​ Oct. 16, 2018 article “Chinese actress Fan Bingbing seen in public after months of speculation” states Fan Bingbing was spotted outside of the Beijing airport on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. In the photo, Fan keeps her head down, and is wearing dark clothes, sun glasses, and a baseball cap to hide her face. This is the first time that Fan Bingbing has been seen in public in over three months. Bloomberg’​ s Nov. 19, 2018 article “Chinese Superstar Fan Bingbing resurfaces with pro-China post on Weibo,” reported that Fan Bingbing made her first social media activity following her public apology in early October. Fan retweeted a pro-China post from a state account on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018. According to the article, the post stated that “China cannot miss out on any inch,” with an image of “a map of China that includes Taiwan and the South China Sea.” China’s political climate about the country’s claim over Taiwan was brought into

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the spotlight at the Golden Horse awards when a Taiwanese director made pro-independence comments on stage. The article claims Fan Bingbing’s Weibo account only has her apology letter and retweet visible, even though her Weibo history says that there is more than 1,800 posts. Fan Bingbing’s “Influencer” Reputation Post-Scandal Jing Daily’​ s Nov. 30, 2018, article “How Fan Bingbing’s scandal affected Chinese KOL’s brand perception?,” reported the impact Fan Bingbing’s scandal had on the brands she endorsed, according to a report done by the Hong Kong-based data firm ParkLu. The goal of ParkLu’s analysis: “​analysis aims to understand Fan’s changing image among influencers following the scandal as well as the consequences it might have for brands” in the future. The analysis found that Fan Bingbing’s scandal had no correlation between Fan and her brand deal with Louis Vuitton, therefore having no impact on the brand whatsoever. ParkLu’s analysis notes that there could be no correlation between Fan’s scandal and Louis Vuitton because the brand is so well liked in the Chinese KOL community. However, Fan Bingbing’s scandal did have a negative impact on the brand Swisse because they dropped as a brand ambassador in mid-September, outraging the Chinese KOL community. According to the article, ParkLu’s report “offered a general correlation analysis between Fan and other luxury and fashion brands she worked with,” but the article did not go into specifics on those findings. The article listed other brands that Fan Bingbing advertised for, which include Mont Blanc, Adidas, L’Oreal, Guerlain, and RuFa. ​ParkLu found that over the past two years, Fan Bingbing earned $290 million in sponsorship fees. ParkLu concluded that brands stuck with Fan Bingbing through her scandal thinking it was “worth the risk,” since ​“Fan Bingbing’s celebrity status and ability to sell is irrefutable.” ​The article claims that ParkLu’s report concluded “Fan Bingbing is still loved in

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China” and that “​there was actually a missed opportunity for some of her sponsored brands to stick by her and her fans during hard times.” Chinese Entertainment Industry’s Stock Plummets after Fan Bingbing Scandal According to ​The South China Morning Post’​ s article updated on Oct. 3, 2018, “​Studio stocks plunge as tax man’s scrutiny of Fan Bingbing’s fees may uncover actors’ dirty secret” reported that stock shares of China’s film studios and movie producers plummeted amid tax fraud allegations. The article hints that Fan Bingbing’s tax fraud case could “shed light on a long-held practice in the industry and disrupt operations.” The article focuses on the stock of multiple entertainment studios plummeting. One of China’s largest entertainment studios, Huayi Brothers Media stock “plunged by the 10 percent daily limit to a five-year low of 7.36 on the Shenzhen exchange.” Wuhan DDMS Culture “plunged by 9.8 percent to 15.27 yuan on the Shanghai exchange.” Zhejiang Talent Television and Film “plunged 10 percent to 14.85 yuan in Shenzhen.” Zhejiang Huace Film & TV “closed 2.8 percent lower at 9.92 yuan after earlier retreating by as much as 7.2 percent in Shenzhen.” Chinese Government Crackdown on Tax Evaders According to ​Bloomberg​’s Dec. 4, 2018 article “After Fan Bingbing, China cracks down harder on poorer tax dodgers,” claims that Chinese government is cracking down on those who evaded taxes by “lowering the threshold for blocking citizens with overdue taxes from leaving the country.” The threshold previously was 1 million yuan, and now it has been significantly lowered to 100,000 yuan by China’s State Administration of Taxation since November, 2018. According to the article, this new rule will take effect Jan. 1, 2019. This year, through China’s high profile campaign, they have been exposing and punishing wealthy celebrities who have

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concealed part of their income. According to the article China’s next step against tax evasion begins Jan. 1, 2019, by “implementing a new individual income tax system… that widens the country’s lower income brackets and requires foreigners and Chinese with overseas to pay more.” Shame in Collectivistic Culture and the Communist Film Industry In an opinion piece titled “China’s Tradition of Public Shaming Thrives,” written by Murong Xuecun, published by ​The New York Times o​ n March 20, 2015, Xuecun analyzes the newfound platform of public shaming on CCTV. CCTV is China’s leading media outlet, where public shamings are broadcasted. People who are publicly shamed on CCTV include business people, screenwriters, celebrities, editors, and journalists that do not perfectly align themselves with the Communist Party’s ideals. Typically, when CCTV is broadcasted, the individuals have not been to trial, but the broadcast assumes their guilt. Xuecun illustrates the difference between U.S. culture and Chinese culture by stating that “Socialist countries tend to emphasize national and collective interest ahead of individual rights and dignity… Cases of public shaming show us how in the name of some great cause, individual rights, dignity and privacy can all be sacrificed,” according to an opinion piece titled “China’s Tradition of Public Shaming Thrives,” written on March 20, 2015, by ​The New York Times.​ In a blog post titled, “Media Push Socialist Values Over Western Lifestyle,” written by Josh Rudolph, published on September 1, 2016, Rudolph explores the Chinese government’s newfound desire to push socialist values in the entertainment industry. The Chinese government enacted new regulations for entertainment news to limit the promotion of “Western lifestyles,” making fun of Chinese values, and putting celebrities on “pedestals.” The Administration of

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Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) announced that all social and entertainment news must follow mainstream socialist ideologies and spread “positive energy.” The SAPPRFT also outlined that “news content should not make improper jokes, defile classics, or ‘express overt admiration for Western Lifestyles.’” China’s legislature is reviewing a draft law that would require those who work in the film industry to have “excellent moral integrity,” in addition to having excellent professional skills and a positive public image, downplaying celebrity luxury, and being societal role models. This legislature arose after recent cases of celebrities being arrested for drug offenses and prostitution, which include Li Daimo, Zhang Mo, and Jaycee Chan. The Chinese government is also reviewing a law that would also put moral regulations on the production of a film, according to Rudolph’s blog post. A Comparison of a Chinese Actress Tax Fraud Case from 2002: Liu Xiaoqing According to the ​South China Morning Post’​ s Oct. 3, 2018 article “Fan Bingbing is not the first Chinese film star to fall from grace,” it compares Fan’s case to the 2002 tax fraud case against Chinese actress Liu Xiaoqing. Liu rose to fame in the 1980s in the films: ​The Burning of the Imperial Palace​ and ​Hibiscus Town.​ In the 1990s, Liu left acting to concentrate on her business endeavors that spanned from “film production to property and cosmetics.” Then in 2002, the Chinese government investigated her for tax fraud and later was found guilty. According to the article, the Chinese authorities “found that she had been understating her earning to shave about 30 percent off of her annual tax bill.” During the government’s 14-month investigation Liu was put in Qincheng Prison. According to the article, Qincheng Prison is “a maximum security facility in Beijing known for housing high-ranking officials accused of corruption.” It is unknown as to how long Liu actually spent time in the prison, but after she was

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released on bail in August 2003, the government ordered Liu and her company to pay 26.8 million yuan for her unpaid taxes totaling 14 million yuan. According to the article, Jing Jung, Liu’s brother-in-law “who was also general manager of one of her companies was sentenced to three years in prison.” A Comparison of a Chinese Artist’s Tax Fraud Case from 2011: Ai Weiwei In an article I previously mentioned, specifically ​CNN​’s​ S ​ ept. 18, 2018 article, “​Fan Bingbing: Has China's Most Famous Actress Been Disappeared by the Communist Party?” briefly compares Fan Bingbing’s disappearance to Ai Weiwei’s disappearance from 2011, which led me to further investigate the similarities and differences between their cases. According to CNN​’s July 20, 2012 article “Ai Weiwei loses tax evasion case,” Ai Weiwei, an “outspoken artist, blogger, documentary filmmaker, and architect,” was taken into custody by the Beijing’s international airport in April of 2011, and was detained for 81 days by the Chinese government. According to the article, while Ai was detained, his “studio in Beijing was raided, and his wife and several employees were taken into custody for questioning.” According to the same article, after Ai had been detained for seven weeks, the states news agency Xinhua announced that the Beijing police said Ai’s company, Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., had evaded a “huge amount of taxes” and “intentionally destroyed accounting documents.” Chinese government released Ai in June. In November, the Chinese Government fined him and his company 15 million yuan for tax evasion and demanded that it must be repaid within two weeks. This fine led tens of thousands of Ai’s supporters to donate more than 9 million yuan to him. According to the article, Ai utilized the donations to “post a payment guarantee to the invoice to file a lawsuit against a local tax bureau to protest the charges.” The article says that Ai believes that the

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charges are “baseless” and “politically motivated,” and Ai claims that he did not commit tax fraud, which led him to file a lawsuit against the Beijing tax bureau. Ai lost the lawsuit since he was denied access by the Beijing police to both of the court hearings on June 20 and July 20, 2011. A Comparison of a High Profile U.S. Tax Fraud Case: Martha Stewart The closest U.S. celebrity tax fraud case I could compare to Fan Bingbing is the 2004 Martha Stewart’s obstruction of a government investigation case regarding the illegal sale of her ImClone shares. According to the the March 7, 2004 ​Wall Street Journal​ article “Martha Stewart is found guilty of all charges,” in the 2004 trial, the jury found Martha Stewart guilty of four counts of obstruction of a government investigation into her sale of ImClone Systems Inc. stock in 2001. Martha Stewart could face one to two years in prison under the federal sentencing guidelines. But each of her counts carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. Martha Stewart’s former Merrill Lynch & Co. broker Peter Bacanovic was found guilty of four counts: conspiracy, making false statements, perjury, and obstruction of agency proceedings. After the verdict on Martha Stewart’s case was announced, she issued this statement on her website: “I am obviously distressed by the jury’s verdict but I continue to take comfort in knowing that I have done nothing wrong.” The ​Wall Street Journal​ also says, later that afternoon, Stewart revised that statement to “I am obviously distressed by the jury’s verdict but I continue to take comfort in knowing that I have the confidence and enduring support of my family and friends.” According to the article, Martha Stewart included in both statements that “I will appeal the verdict and continue to fight to clear my name. I believe in the fairness of the judicial system and remain confident that I will ultimately prevail.” Martha Stewart and Peter Bacanovic fabricated

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the story that they had an agreement to sell the stock once it dipped below $60 per share. The real story is that Martha Stewart was tipped by Peter Bacanovic’s assistant, Douglas Faneuil, regarding the plummet of the ImClone Systems Inc. shares. A Comparison of an American Reality TV Celebrity: Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino According to the April 7, 2017 ​Forbes a​ rticle “Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino hit with more charges including tax evasion & structuring,” the Department of Justice said that Mike Sorrentino and his brother Marc Sorrentino were indicted with more charges that include “tax evasion, structuring, and falsifying records.” In September 2014, Mike was charged with “one count of conspiracy; two counts of filing false tax returns for 2010 through 2012; and one count of allegedly failing to file a tax return for 2011” while Marc was charged with “one count of conspiracy and three counts of filing false tax returns.” As of April 7, 2017, the brothers received additional charges: Mike was charged with “tax evasion and structuring funds to evade currency transaction reports,” while Marc was charged with “falsifying records to obstruct a grand jury investigation.” According to the article, the feds originally claimed that Mike and Marc Sorrentino used their companies, “MPS Entertainment” and “Situation Nation,” to evade taxes. Those companies are S-corporations, meaning that the income and expenses of the companies pass through its shareholders, which were exclusively Mike and Marc Sorrentino. The feds also alleged that they used the companies’ money for personal expenses such as “high end vehicles, purchases of high-end clothing, and personal grooming expenses” that the brothers claimed were “legitimate” business expenses. Additionally, Mike and Marc Sorrentino are accused of understating the income that companies received. Mike’s new indictment alleges that he evaded his 2011 taxes by “failing to file a personal tax return, filing a false corporate return for Situation

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Nation and for concealing his cash income.” According to the article, it is alleged that Mike and Marc Sorrentino conspired to defraud the U.S. government Department of Revenue by not paying taxes on approximately $8.9 million of Mike Sorrentino’s earnings between 2010 and 2012. Furthermore, the fed’s accusations of Mike and Marc Sorrentino include filing false tax returns that “understated gross receipts, claimed fraudulent business deductions, disguised income payments…, underreported net business income” as well as “commingled funds among business and personal bank accounts, and used business money to pay for personal items.” Lastly, the feds claim that Mark Sorrentino falsified the records of their companies by “altering and reclassifying taxable payments to himself as non-taxable payments and as legitimate business deductions.” According to the article, their accountant, Gregg Mark, pled guilty in 2015 for preparing fraudulent tax returns for the Sorrentino brothers in 2010 and 2011 tax years. Gregg Mark admitted that the returns that the Sorrentino brothers defrauded in 2010 and 2011 kept the IRS from getting between “$550,000 and $1.5 million.” According to the article, if convicted, the brothers face a “statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison on the conspiracy count and three years in prison for each count of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns” as well as supervised release, “restitution, and monetary penalties.” According to the Oct. 5, 2018 ​CNN ​article “Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino sentenced to eight months in prison,” in January 2018, Mike and Marc Sorrentino pled guilty to tax evasion and concealing income. Mike Sorrentino was sentenced to eight months in prison with two years of supervised release, a fine of $10,000 that needs to be paid in 30 days, and 500 hours of community service. Marc Sorrentino was sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of $75,000.

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Editorial I have been following Fan Bingbing’s suspicious disappearance and reappearance since mid-September and it is quite an interesting case. Back in September and early October, I found countless articles that listed theories about her disappearance, which included the involvement of the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese government, the Vice President of China, as well as China’s department of finance. The facts that held true throughout all of these theories are that Fan Bingbing was being investigated by the Chinese government for tax fraud and that she was missing. The thing that made Fan Bingbing’s disappearance so strange was that there was no government involvement in finding her. On Oct. 3., 2018, the Chinese government found Fan guilty of tax evasion and fined her $129 million. Later that day, Fan Bingbing issued an apology on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform. This was the first post Fan Bingbing had made on Weibo since early July. On that same day, an article was published stating that Fan Bingbing was detained by the Chinese government at a luxury hotel, and had been released from the hotel two weeks prior. On Oct. 15, 2018, Fan Bingbing was first seen in public walking out of the Beijing airport, attempting to conceal her identity by wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses, and an umbrella. There have been no new articles about Fan Bingbing since. The key issue I discovered when investigating Fan Bingbing’s disappearance and reappearance is the lack of government transparency: The Chinese government kept vital information about Fan Bingbing secret from the public and they did not make an effort to answer any questions or even to address public concern. Through my research, I learned that if a celebrity commits a crime in China, the Chinese government tends to detain that celebrity until they are found guilty of a crime, and then they are punished. This was the case for Fan Bingbing

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as well as the famed Chinese actress Liu Xiaoqing in 2002 and the famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in 2011. Liu Xiaoqing was detained in a prison for 14 months while the Chinese government investigated and confirmed allegations of tax fraud. Ai Weiwei was detained for 81 days by the Chinese government while they investigated his alleged tax fraud. One daunting fact that links all three cases is that they were all detained by the Chinese government without any notice and that no one was aware of their detainment until after they were punished. After investigating high profile tax fraud cases in China, I compared them to two high profile tax fraud cases in the U.S.: Martha Stewart in 2004 and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino in 2018. Both Martha Stewart and Mike Sorrentino had clear cut-and-dry cases of tax fraud in which they were both guilty and there was complete government transparency throughout every step of the process. Martha Stewart and Mike Sorrentino were investigated, tried, and convicted. The U.S. department of tax revenue reported their findings to both the person being investigated as well as the public, without detainment of any kind. Those who live under a democratic style of government, including myself, believe that Fan Bingbing’s, Liu Xiaoqing’s, and Ai Weiwei’s detainment were human rights violations. Their detainment is false imprisonment because there was no trial and no conviction. I strongly believe that government transparency is the first step to making a country more civil and just. Once government transparency is instituted, a society would be able to speak more openly about the government’s violations of rights and it would be one step closer to solving its social issues.

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Visuals This is a photo of Fan Bingbing at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival in southern France on May 11, 2018, courtesy of CNN article published on Sept. 18, 2018.

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This is a photo of Fan Bingbing and Vice President Wang. Fan Bingbing was accused of

sleeping with and accepting bribes from Wang according to Guo Wengui. Photo courtesy of a

Business Insider article published on Sept. 25, 2018.

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This is a photo of Guo Wengui, the person who accused Fan Bingbing of sleeping with

and accepting bribes from Vice President Wang. Photo courtesy of a Business Insider article

published on Sept. 25, 2018.

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This a photo of Fan Bingbing’s reappearance in public on Oct. 15, 2018, courtesy of Asia

One.

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Media Treatment News Lead: Renowned journalist Daphne Adamson of ​The New York Times​ published an investigative report on the strange disappearance and reappearance of internationally acclaimed Chinese actress Fan Bingbing.

Broadcast Cue-in and Announcement: Although the internationally acclaimed Chinese actress Fan Bingbing has returned to the public eye, the events surrounding her disappearance and reappearance still seem quite strange. NPR’​ s own renowned investigative reporter Daphne Adamson has completed her research and has published her findings.

Web Headline and Blurb: Fan Bingbing Investigative Report Published The Huffington Post’​ s investigative journalist Daphne Adamson published a report on the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of Chinese actress Fan Bingbing.

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Works Cited “Chinese Actress Fan Bingbing Seen in Public after Months of Speculation.” ​AsiaOne,​ AsiaOne Group, 16 Oct. 2018, www.asiaone.com/entertainment/chinese-actress -fan-bingbing-seen-public-after-months-speculation. Republished from The Straits Times. Chu, Henry, and Vivienne Chow. “Fan Bingbing Apologizes for Tax Evasion: 'I Feel Ashamed and Guilty for What I Did'.” ​Variety​, Variety Media, LLC., 3 Oct. 2018, www.variety.com/2018/film/news/fan-bingbing-apology-ashamed-and-guilty-for-wh at-i-did-1202966828/. Erb, Kelly Phillips. "Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino Hit With More Charges Including Tax Evasion & Structuring." ​Forbes.​ Forbes Media LLC., 07 Apr. 2017. www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2017/04/07/mike-the-situation-sorrentino-hitwith-more-charges-including-tax-evasion-structuring/#39274fc54ccd. “Fan Bingbing's Fiance Li Chen Breaks Silence: 'We Will Get through This Together'.” Fan Bingbing's Fiance Li Chen Breaks Silence: 'We Will Get through This Together'​, MSN Entertainment, 16 Oct. 2018, ​www.msn.com/​en-sg​/entertainment/news/ fan-bingbing%E2%80%99s-fiance-li-chen-breaks-silence-%E2%80%98we-will-getthrough-this-together%E2%80%99/ar-BBOrehD?li=BBr8YXK. Huang, Kristin. “Fan Bingbing is Not the First Chinese Film Star to Fall from Grace.” South China Morning Post​, South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd., 3 Oct. 2018,

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www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2166854/fan-bingbing-not-first-chinese-f ilm-star-fall-grace. Hong, Jinshan. “After Fan Bingbing, China Cracks down Hard on Poorer Tax Dodgers.” Bloomberg.com​, Bloomberg P.L. , 4 Dec. 2018, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-05/not-just-fan-bingbing-china-steps-up -crackdown-on-tax-evaders​. Hong, Jinshan. “Chinese Superstar Fan Bingbing Resurfaces with Pro-China Post on Weibo.” ​Bloomberg.com​, Bloomberg, 19 Nov. 2018, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-19/chinese-superstar-fan-resurfaces-wit h-pro-china-post-on-weibo Jiang, Steven. “Fan Bingbing: Has China's Most Famous Actress Been Disappeared by the Communist Party?” ​CNN,​ Cable News Network, 18 Sept. 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/09/14/asia/fan-bingbing-china-celebrity-intl/index.html. Lai, Alexis. “Ai Weiwei Loses Tax Evasion Case.” ​CNN.​ Cable News Network, 20 July 2012, www.cnn.com/2012/07/20/world/asia/ai-weiwei-tax-evasion-appeal/index.html Ma, Alexandra. “China 'Publicly Disappeared' Its Most Famous Actress 3 Months Ago with Only Cryptic Clues Left.” ​Business Insider​, Insider Inc. , 1 Oct. 2018, www.businessinsider.com/fan-bingbing-disappeared-for-3-months-clues-2018-10. Ma, Alexandra. “Fan Bingbing Was Reportedly Suing a Billionaire Who Accused Her of Sleeping with China's Vice President When She Vanished.” ​Business Insider​, Insider Inc., 25 Sept. 2018, www.businessinsider.com/fan-bingbing-suing-billionaire

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-china-vp-missing-2018-9?r=UK&IR=T%0A​. Ma, Alexandra. “Fan Bingbing Was Reportedly Detained in a Luxury Holiday Resort before China Fined Her $129 Million for Tax Evasion.” ​Business Insider​, Insider Inc., 3 Oct. 2018, www.businessinsider.com/fan-bingbing-luxury-house-arrestscmp-report-2018-10​. Melas, Chloe. "Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino Sentenced to Eight Months in Prison." CNN​. Cable News Network, 05 Oct. 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/ 10/05/entertainment/​mike-the-situation-sorrentino-sentenced-prison/index.html. Pan, Yiling. “How Fan Bingbing's Scandal Affected Chinese KOLs' Brand Perception.” ​Jing Daily,​ Herlar LLC. , 30 Nov. 2018,jingdaily.com/fan-bingbing-luxury-kols/?utm _source =Jing%2BDaily%2BSubscriber%2BList&utm_campaign=

84d1c21cbc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_09_13_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm _term =0_8dec01cd8d-84d1c21cbc-408096161. Rudolph, Josh. “Media to Push Socialist Values Over Western Lifestyles.” ​China Digital Times CDT,​ 1 Sept. 2016, chinadigitaltimes.net/2016/09/media-push -socialist-values-western-lifestyles-celebrities/. Scannell, Kara, and Matthew Rose. “Martha Stewart Is Found Guilty of All Charges.” The Wall Street Journal,​ Dow Jones & Company, Inc. , 7 Mar. 2004, ​www.wsj.com/articles/SB107833235519345426 Shidong, Zhang. “Studio Stocks Plunge as Tax Man’s Scrutiny of Fan Bingbing’s Fees May Uncover Actors’ Dirty Secret.” ​South China Morning Post,​ South China Morning

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Post, 3 Oct. 2018, ​www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/2149112/ movie-studio-stocks-plunge-concern-fan-bingbings-tax-evasion. Xuecun, Murong. “China's Tradition of Public Shaming Thrives.” Translated by Harvey Thomlinson, ​The New York Times,​ The New York Times, 20 Mar. 2015, cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20150324/c24murong/en-us/.