Guo Meimei's relatives threaten blackmail pending release
Staff Reporter 2015-09-18 12:03
Guo Meimei once claimed to be a manager of the Red Cross Society of China. (Internet photo)
The relatives of Chinese internet celebrity, Guo Meimei, have demanded her release before Sept. 20 or they will reveal damaging information on the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) to the New York Times, reports Duowei News, a US-based political news outlet.
Chinese internet celebrity Guo Meimei was fined 50,000 yuan (US$7,840) and sentenced to five years in prison for running a casino, according to the Dongcheng District People's Court's decision on Sept. 10. She gained fame in China in 2011 while she claimed herself as a manager of a charity organization, RCSC, with reportedly showing off the pictures of her wealth and extravagant lifestyle on social media.
Relatives of Guo, who claim to live in Seattle, threatened to air the dirty laundry of RCSC and high-ranking Chinese officials. They did not mention who and what exactly they would reveal, said the report.
After their information was revealed on on Weibo, Chinese netizens started a heated discussion on Guo's background and her mysterious US relatives. Some netizens said that they were bluffing and doubted the credibility of their inside information. Others said that Guo has never said anything directly about her relationship with RCSC and her godfather, making it difficult to assess whether she would have information.
During her trial, Guo denied her previous confession of organized gambling activity. She said that she has been very naive and did not understand that playing poker with friends at home constituted a violation of Chinese law. "I hope our country's laws can be objective and fair and that the court's decision won't be affected by the rumors of my relationship with RCSC or by public opinion."
