In a shocking development, Chinese actor Li Yifeng has been arrested by the country's authorities om accusations of repeatedly soliciting prostitutes. Li Yifeng's arrest came as a major shock as he once played Communist leader Mao Zedong in a 2021 film. As per Chinese State media, Li Yifeng who is 35 years old was first detained by the Chinese authorities and charged by police in Beijing and confessed his guilt. Not only this, Li Yifeng has been removed as a brand ambassador by leading firms including fashion house Prada.
Following Li Yifeng's arrest, not only Prada but also at least 10 brands that were previously endorsed by the actor, including Zhenguoli, a beverage produced by dairy company Mengniu, have declared the termination of their partnerships. Also known as Evan Li, Li Yifeng is a much-loved actor in China. In fact, he is a household name with 60 million followers (While writing this) on the country's Twitter-like Sina Weibo platform. He has been in the public eye since 2007, when he participated in a national TV talent contest.
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Interestingly, Li has appeared in multiple TC shows and movies. In fact, in 2021, Li starred in The Pioneer, a biographical historical blockbuster about China's Communist party. Notabaly, people of China started smelling something fishy after his name was removed from the list of celebrities due to appear at the Mid-Autumn Festival Gala on state television on Saturday. And on Sunday, he was detained by Chinese authorities.