Chinese man detained for faking wealth after boasting $25M gift from grandmother

According to the South China Morning Post, on Oct. 5, the man, who goes by ‘@dongdonganan’ on Douyin, posted images of luxury cars, jewelry, and antiques. When questioned about his wealth, he claimed his grandmother had given him 180 million yuan for his 20th birthday.

To convince skeptics, he shared a screenshot purportedly showing 2.4 billion yuan (US$335 million) in a bank account. He also suggested he had a prestigious relative with a government role, displaying a letter from China’s State Council and an old group photo with People’s Liberation Army officials.

A Chinese man showcases a lavish lifestyle, later revealed to be fabricated. Illustration by Pexels

However, Guizhou province internet police revealed that the man, surnamed Tian, had manipulated the images and fabricated the story to attract followers. He was later charged with violating public order and online regulations and was also linked to online gambling.

Though his claims were false, public reactions to Tian’s posts highlighted frustrations about wealth inequality in China. One user commented: "Rich people’s pocket money is the wealth I can never achieve in my lifetime."