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It’s been three months since fans last saw Fan Bingbing in public.
On Wednesday, the actress broke her silence and responded to reports claiming she had been fined nearly $130 million for tax evasion.
According to The New York Times, authorities fined Bingbing approximately $70 million in unpaid taxes and penalties. She also reportedly owes about $60 million for back taxes. However, the news outlet claimed Bingbing could escape criminal charges if she pays the full amount.
After the news started spreading, Bingbing posted an apology on Weibo. In the statement, she claimed she felt “ashamed that I committed tax evasion in the film Unbreakable Spirit and on other projects by taking advantage of ‘yin-yang contracts.'” A “yin-yang” contract is when an actor signs two contracts for the same job: one that includes the amount they’re actually paid and one that includes a lower amount to be submitted for tax purposes.
Bingbing claimed she accepts the penalties presented by the tax authorities and vowed to pay the complete sum.
“Today I’m facing enormous fears and worries over the mistakes I have made,” she said, per a copy of the statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “I failed my country which nurtured me; I failed the society which trusted me; I failed the fans who loved me. I offer my sincere apology here once again! I beg for everyone’s forgiveness!”
As E! News previously reported, Bingbing was last spotted July 1. THR suspected a tax evasion scandal could be the cause of her disappearance; however, her reps denied the allegations.
Bingbing is one of China’s most famous actresses and has appeared in movies like X-Men: Days of Future Past.