Dongyang Haile Film & Television, an investor in "The Legend of Ba Qing," recently issued an open letter demanding the repayment of 67 million yuan in investment funds related to the series, specifically naming Fan Bingbing and her younger brother, Fan Chengcheng. Fan Bingbing subsequently authorized her lawyer to issue a statement emphasizing that corporate and individual liabilities should be legally distinguished.
The dispute originated in 2017 when Fan Bingbing's Wuxi Aimeishen co-produced "The Legend of Ba Qing" with Dongyang Haile Film & Television. Subsequently, lead actors Gao Yunxiang and Fan Bingbing became embroiled in sexual assault allegations and tax controversies, respectively, leaving the series' broadcast date uncertain.
The Beijing High People's Court previously issued a final judgment ordering Wuxi Aimeishen to return the 67 million yuan in principal investment plus returns. The judgment was handed down in September 2021. Haile Film & Television stated that it has still not received the funds and released an open letter titled "Miss Fan, Please Pay Up!" on the evening of September 24.
The open letter also alleged that Wuxi Aimeishen delayed repayment by citing bankruptcy, yet transferred over 200 million yuan to studios under Fan Bingbing's name and nearly 10 million yuan to studios under Fan Chengcheng's name between 2018 and 2020, while also engaging in equity transfers. Haile Film & Television demanded that both individuals come forward to explain these actions and repay the claimed amounts. These allegations regarding fund transfers and accountability claims were presented by the investor in the open letter.
Fan Bingbing and Zhang Qihuai, the lawyer representing Wuxi Aimeishen and others, issued a statement asserting that corporate and individual liabilities must be distinguished, and that joint liability claims must be pursued in accordance with the law. The statement demanded that relevant allegations be based on objective evidence and advocated resolving disputes through legal channels such as litigation. It further stated that legal responsibility would be pursued for acts involving the leakage of trade secrets or damage to reputation and goodwill.