Chinese tax authorities have fined Douyin influencer Bai Bing nearly 19 million yuan ($2.8 million) for evading taxes from 2021 to 2024. The food influencer underreported income and funneled personal earnings through business entities. All penalties have been fully collected after Bai admitted the violations.
The State Taxation Administration announced that food influencer Bai Bing evaded 9.1 million yuan in personal income tax, value-added tax, and deed tax between 2021 and 2024 by underreporting income and routing personal earnings through business entities.
Investigators found Bai controlled more than a dozen entities, including a shell sole proprietorship in Chongqing that reported large revenues without employees or real operations. Income from his video production was classified as business revenue instead of personal labor income. He channeled funds through affiliated companies and a human resources firm back to personal accounts, while recording luxury purchases like designer bags and jewelry as business expenses.
Bai, with over 40 million followers on Douyin, earned substantially from advertising partnerships but consistently underreported personal income, prompting the tax probe.
Authorities ordered repayment of unpaid taxes, late fees, and fines totaling 18.9 million yuan, all of which have been collected. Bai admitted the violations, officials said.