BEIJING: A 29-year-old cancer patient in China who sought to raise 900,000 yuan (US$125,000) online for medical treatment has sparked suspicions of embezzlement after he posted photos of a new flat.
The post came shortly after he had raised more than 700,000 yuan (US$97,000) in just a few days.
The man, surnamed Lan, from Yichang in Hubei province, central China, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a rare cancer, and began his fundraising campaign on a popular crowdfunding platform on Oct 14.
He introduced himself as a 2020 graduate from Nanjing University in Jiangsu province, north of Shanghai, who worked at a major internet company in southern China’s Guangzhou before being diagnosed with cancer.
A formal disease certificate confirmed his diagnosis, noting that “the disease is difficult to treat when it recurs”.
The man revealed that his family’s finances were drained by his father’s medical bills and subsequent death, leaving them with significant debts.
According to his friends, Lan’s fundraising campaign circulated widely, with pleas posted in alumni groups and on social media.
He even documented his personal story through videos and shared his bank account details for donations.
Doubts surfaced among donors regarding Lan’s financial transparency when, on November 6, he shared images of a newly bought flat in a group chat, claiming that the crowdfunding effort brought in more than 700,000 yuan in just a few days.
The group message also shows Lan claiming: “This is my new home, total price 738,000 yuan,” raising suspicions of fund embezzlement.
Compounding the concerns, a previous marriage advertisement posted by Lan disclosed that his family owned multiple properties, including two residential flats valued up to one million yuan (US$140,000).
The family also owned commercial property worth more than 3.8 million yuan generating 145,000 yuan in annual rental income.
However, his profile on the crowdfunding platform listed only a single property valued between 300,000 and 500,000 yuan (US$40,000 and US$70,000) and a car he claimed was “up for sale”.
As a result the crowdfunding platform terminated Lan’s channel on Nov 7, by which time he had received more than 270,000 yuan from 4,536 contributors.
Lan later claimed that he deposited 200,000 yuan from the donations into a fixed-term savings account, denying allegations that he used the funds to buy real estate.
On Nov 7, the crowdfunding platform released an official statement confirming that Lan had concealed his family’s real financial situation.
“In accordance with platform rules, all funds raised by Lan, totalling 278,204 yuan, have been fully recovered and will be refunded to the donors.
Lan has been added to the “discredited fundraisers” blacklist and is “permanently banned from initiating any future fundraising campaigns on our platform”, according to the statement.
It is unclear whether Lan will face any legal punishment.
The incident, reported by Red Star News, has reignited public concerns about transparency in charity crowdfunding.
One person said: “He has lost his chance to freeload, but his deception could make more people hesitant to donate to those genuinely in need.”
“This is why I don’t donate on platforms. You never really know if the recipient is truly in need. Sometimes, they are even wealthier than you. I only donate to people I know well and trust,” said another person. - South China Morning Post/ANN
