Actor Accused of “Faking Poverty” Releases Bank Statements Showing Annual Spending of Just 3.5 USD, Sparking Backlash

Publicly releasing bank statements to counter allegations of “faking poverty” failed to quell controversies surrounding Chinese actor Luo Zheng. Instead, the move raised even more questions among netizens.

Luo Zheng recently became the center of public attention after appearing on a television show. On the show, he revealed that his bank balance had dropped to just 4800 yuan (approx. $711 USD). The figure stunned viewers. Many soon labeled him the “poorest star in the Chinese entertainment industry.”

Reports soon emerged claiming his account once held 19 million yuan (approx. $2.8 million USD) in 2023. Consequently, netizens suspected he was deliberately feigning poverty to gain media attention and sympathy.

To counter the mounting controversy, Luo Zheng posted a public statement denying the allegations. He shared his bank statements to prove he was not hiding any wealth.

Addressing the 19 million yuan rumor, Luo Zheng clarified that he never possessed such a sum. In 2023, he was embroiled in a legal dispute over an agency contract. After two court trials, the court ordered him to pay a final compensation fee of over 3.61 million yuan (approx. $530,000 USD)—significantly lower than the initial breach penalty of 50 million yuan (approx. $7.4 million USD) stipulated in his contract.

Luo Zheng revealed that he fully settled the debt by January 2024. To cover the amount, his manager advanced him 2 million yuan, while he paid the remainder using earnings from his acting projects. It was not until the Lunar New Year of 2026 that he managed to pay back his manager in full.

Following the legal dispute, the Chinese film market entered a severe downturn, severely impacting his career. He was forced to dissolve his personal studio, and his assistant resigned to return to their hometown for factory work.

Furthermore, Luo Zheng insisted that he had never actively complained about poverty or exploited his circumstances for publicity. He explained that he lives frugally by nature, renting a small apartment on the outskirts of Beijing, commuting via public buses or rideshares, and occasionally cycling home with his manager after work to save money.

Despite his explanations, the bank statements Luo Zheng posted triggered even more suspicion. According to the document, the total expenditure on the account for the entire year was just 170 yuan (approx. $25 USD). Of that sum, 146 yuan went toward app service fees, leaving actual personal spending at a mere 24 yuan (approx. $3.5 USD).

This figure ignited a heated online debate, with many pointing out that it is virtually impossible for anyone to survive an entire year on such an amount. Netizens questioned whether Luo Zheng had released his primary account statements or simply handpicked a single, barely used account.

Others pointed out that the specific account had been frozen by court order in April 2023, explaining why there were virtually no transactions for the remainder of the year. Consequently, presenting statements from that account alone failed to provide a convincing picture of his true financial situation.

Additionally, news outlet NetEase published an estimate of Luo Zheng’s income. According to industry reports, he earns between 200,000 and 800,000 yuan per low-budget drama project. With 2 to 3 projects per year, his acting income ranges from 400,000 to 2 million yuan. On top of that, he earns an estimated 100,000 to 500,000 yuan from livestreams and small commercial deals, alongside 100,000 to 300,000 yuan from reality TV appearances.

Luo Zheng‘s gross income for 2025 was estimated between 600,000 and 2.8 million yuan. After deducting manager commissions, taxes, travel expenses, living costs, and operational fees, his net earnings were estimated at 400,000 to 1.8 million yuan.

Given these figures, netizens argue that despite his past legal and financial hurdles, Luo Zheng’s income can hardly be classified as “poor.” Ultimately, his attempt to clear his name by publishing bank statements backfired, leaving the public even more skeptical about his true financial status.