The 'Love O2O' actress is being scrutinized by law enforcement in her native country of China for alleged tax evasion due to suspicions over her massive earning.
- May 1, 2021
AceShowbiz - Chinese actress Zheng Shuang is under investigation for tax evasion amid suspicions over her sky-high pay.
Authorities have been looking into the star's finances after she was said to have earned $24.6 million (£17.7 million) for just 77 days of filming on the upcoming TV series "A Chinese Ghost Story", meaning she earned $320,000 (£230,000) a day.
The news emerged after her ex-boyfriend, Zhang Heng, posted screenshots of a text conversation he had with Zheng and her parents online, in which they allegedly discussed her big pay day.
If accurate, the figure would be a violation of the Communist government's approved salary limits.
Officials at the Shanghai Municipal Tax Service and the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau are now investigating the case, and looking into fraudulent contracts to crack down on rocketing TV production costs.
According to Variety, the "Love O2O" star's purported earnings mean she earned more than double the $10 million (£7.2 million) fee Gal Gadot banked for reprising her superhero role in "Wonder Woman 1984" and more than five times the $4.5 million (£3.2 million) figure Joaquin Phoenix took home for his Oscar-winning performance in "Joker".
It's not the first time Zheng Shuang was caught in scandal.
Early this year, the actress was accused of abandoning her children conceived via surrogacy after her marriage with producer Zhang Heng fell apart. Before the babies were born, she allegedly demanded late term abortion at 7 months into the pregnancies.
