Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi sues paper over sex claims
It is alleged that she accrued a fortune worth $110m
from illicit liaisons:
HONG KONG: Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has sued Hong Kong’s leading
newspaper the Apple Daily and its sister weekly Next Magazine over
reports that she prostituted herself with senior Chinese officials.
The “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” star signed the suit presented
to the Hong Kong High Court on Monday, saying the reports were
“seriously defamatory” and “false”.
An article in Apple Daily on May 29 said Zhang “is a prostitute” and
had sexual intercourse with disgraced top official Bo Xilai and his
wealthy associate Xu Ming for money on “numerous occasions”, the court
document said.
The tabloid also alleged the 33-year-old actress had sex with other
top officials and “unnamed rich persons”, and had accrued a fortune
worth 700 million yuan ($110 million) from these illicit liaisons over
10 years.
“The plaintiff has been subjected to public odium, hatred, contempt
or ridicule,” the suit signed by the actress said, adding it would seek
unspecified damages.
“The plaintiff’s public image has also been seriously and
continuously undermined which has caused and will continue to cause loss
and damage to her profession and career.” Apple Daily, a
Chinese-language newspaper known for racy celebrity gossip and strong
criticism of the Chinese communist authorities, did not reply to
requests from AFP for comment on the suit.
The story was removed from the newspaper’s website after Zhang
threatened to sue last month.
Bo was sacked from his post as boss of Chongqing city in March and
then suspended from China’s powerful central politburo for “serious
discipline violation” -- code for corruption. He has not been seen
since.
His wife, Gu Kailai, is in custody under suspicion of ordering the
murder of a British businessman. AFP
|