Christopher Wu Lawsuit: Rape Conviction, Appeal, and Tax Evasion

The Kris Wu lawsuit and criminal case ended with the Chinese-Canadian pop star serving a 13-year prison sentence in China for rape, a separate 600 million yuan (about $84 million) tax evasion penalty issued the same day as his 2022 sentencing, and, years earlier, a settled contract dispute with the K-pop agency SM Entertainment. His appeal against the rape conviction was rejected in November 2023.

The Rape Conviction and 13-Year Sentence

On November 25, 2022, Beijing’s Chaoyang District Court convicted Wu on two charges. The first was rape involving three women between November and December 2020; the court found the women had been intoxicated and unable to consent. The second was “assembling a crowd to engage in sexual promiscuity” tied to a separate 2018 incident at his home involving two additional women.¹²

The sentence broke down as 11 years and six months for rape and one year and 10 months for the group licentiousness charge, totaling 13 years.³²⁴

How the Case Started

The allegations became public on July 8, 2021, when a 19-year-old university student named Du Meizhu posted on Weibo accusing Wu of grooming underage girls and of raping her. She said she had met Wu two years earlier, when she was 17, and had been pressured to drink alcohol at a party at his home before waking up in his bed.¹ Wu’s representatives denied the claims and threatened legal action.⁵

Du later alleged that Wu’s camp had tried to buy her silence with a 3 million yuan payment, transferring 500,000 yuan up front. After her post, more women came forward with similar accounts. Beijing police in Chaoyang district detained Wu on July 31, 2021, on suspicion of rape, stating he had allegedly “repeatedly seduced young women into having sex.”⁶

The Appeal

Wu appealed his conviction and a hearing was held behind closed doors in July 2023. On November 24, 2023, the Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People’s Court rejected the appeal and upheld the 13-year sentence, stating the original ruling’s facts were “clear,” the evidence “solid and sufficient,” and the sentence “appropriate.”⁷ Family members and Canadian embassy representatives attended the verdict announcement.⁸

Wu was first detained in July 2021, so his time in custody predates the formal sentencing by more than a year. He would be expected to serve until the mid-2030s, followed by deportation from China. As a Canadian citizen, he would presumably be sent to Canada.³

The $84 Million Tax Evasion Penalty

Less than two hours after the criminal sentencing on November 25, 2022, the Beijing Municipal Tax Service announced a separate penalty of 600 million yuan, roughly $84 million, for tax evasion.⁹ Tax authorities found Wu had evaded 95 million yuan in taxes during 2019 and 2020 and had failed to pay another 84 million yuan, hiding personal income through a network of domestic and foreign affiliated companies and making false declarations about the nature of his earnings.¹⁰

Although Wu is a Canadian citizen, tax authorities determined he qualified as a Chinese tax resident because he had stayed in the country more than 183 days during both 2019 and 2020.¹⁰

Fallout in China

Wu’s arrest triggered a swift removal of his presence from the Chinese internet. WeChat and Douyin deleted his personal and business accounts. Weibo shut down hundreds of fan group chats and banned or suspended close to 1,000 supporter accounts. Louis Vuitton and Porsche dropped him as an endorser.¹¹

The case fed a broader government crackdown on celebrity culture. The Cyberspace Administration of China announced measures to curb what it called “irrational star-chasing,” ordering platforms to stop promotions encouraging fans to buy products in support of idols and to actively manage fan groups.¹² The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection pledged to target celebrity misconduct including sexual offenses and tax fraud.¹³

The Earlier SM Entertainment Contract Lawsuit

Before the criminal case, Wu’s most prominent legal matter was a contract dispute with SM Entertainment, the South Korean agency behind the K-pop group EXO. Wu filed suit in the Seoul Central District Court on May 15, 2014, alleging the company’s decade-long exclusive contract violated his rights and that he received unequal treatment compared to Korean group members. SM countersued for breach of contract.¹⁴

In May 2015 the Seoul Central District Court ordered SM to grant Wu management rights for activities outside Korea, but SM continued to litigate. After multiple mediation sessions failed, the parties reached a court-recommended settlement in July 2016. Wu’s exclusive contract with SM remained valid until 2022, but SM agreed to allow outside management of his activities in territories beyond Korea and Japan, with revenue shared between the parties. SM confirmed Wu would not promote as an EXO member.¹⁵

1
BBC News. Kris Wu: Chinese-Canadian Pop Star Jailed for Rape
2
Variety. Kris Wu Sentenced to 13 Years in Jail by China Court
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CNN. Chinese-Canadian Pop Star Kris Wu Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison
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VOA News. China Sentences Chinese-Canadian Star Kris Wu to 13 Years
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Koreaboo. Kris Wu vs Du Meizhu Full Timeline of Events
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CNN. Kris Wu Detained by Beijing Police on Suspicion of Rape
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South China Morning Post. Chinese Court Rejects Singer Kris Wu’s Appeal Against Rape Conviction
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Variety. Kris Wu Jail Term Upheld by Chinese Appeal Court
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Yahoo News. Kris Wu Fined $84 Million for Tax Evasion
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Tax Notes. Chinese-Canadian Rapper Fined $84 Million for Tax Evasion
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South China Morning Post. Kris Wu Removed From Chinese Social Media
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South China Morning Post. Kris Wu Scandal: China’s Internet Watchdog Seeks Crackdown
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Screen Daily. Chinese Regulators Crack Down on Chaotic Celebrity Fan Culture
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Soompi. Kris Wu Yi Fan Releases Official Statement in Response to SM Entertainment’s Lawsuit
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Soompi. Kris and Luhan Settle With SM Entertainment