Chinese personality Guo Meimei jailed for running illegal casino

High-profile Chinese internet personality Guo Meimei has been jailed for five years and fined 50,000 yuan ($7,800) for running an illegal casino.

The 24-year-old rose to fame in 2011 for her extravagant lifestyle online -- complete with luxury cars and flashy boyfriends -- all while claiming to work for a company affiliated with the Red Cross.

But Guo was running gambling operations out of private flats she rented in the capital, a Beijing court said.

Guo pleaded not guilty to that charge at the trial, although she admitted to participating in gambling, according to China's state news agency Xinhua.

"I shouldn't have participated in gambling, but I don't think my actions constituted (a) crime," she said in her final statement.

The scandal led to a large drop in donations, despite the charity denying any links to her.

 

Latest Intelligence

Latest issue

PATA CEO sees slow recovery, but optimism for future

AGB Podcasts