Fan fuels H’wd rumors
FAN Bingbing — the “X-Men: Days of Future Past” star who hasn’t been seen publicly in months after being accused of tax evasion in her native China — must pay more than $100 million to get out of legal hot water, according to reports. China’s state news outlet said that the star must pay about $107 million in fines and back taxes, while other Chinese outlets have suggested the tab will be $128 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The actress, whose reps initially denied the tax-fraud allegations, has now issued a lengthy apology to 62 million online followers, pledging to “raise funds to pay my taxes and penalties regardless of any obstacles.” The controversy first kicked up in June, when China’s highest-paid star was accused of tax evasion after leaked documents wound up on Twitter. The star then disappeared from public view July 1, leading to fan theories that she’d been detained or fled. The issue has sent shock waves through Hollywood, as the actress was to star in Universal’s upcoming “355” with Jessica
Chastain, Penelope Cruz and Lupita Nyong’o. Fan’s whereabouts have not been revealed. A US producer with experience working in China told THR of the situation: “The government is going to make examples out of a lot of high-profile people who’ve made a lot of money and spent a lot of time in the West, because that’s not what a good Chinese citizen does.”
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