JD.com’s Chief, Richard Liu, Is Accused of Rape in Lawsuit – New York Times
What happened: Four months after local attorneys in Minneapolis, Minnesota declined to pursue criminal charges against JD.com CEO Richard Liu when he was arrested under suspicion of raping a University of Minnesota student, his accuser has filed a lawsuit renewing her claims against him, seeking damages in excess of $50,000. Liu Jingyao, who has accused Liu of forcing himself on her at her at her apartment on August 30, is also naming JD.com as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Why it’s important: The lawsuit could resurface questions about Richard Liu’s fitness to head JD.com, as the company’s stock continues to struggle amid a volatile Chinese economy. And given the attention paid by Chinese social media to Liu Jiangyao’s accusation and Liu’s arrest last year, this civil case has the potential to capture headlines for as long as it takes to play out in court.
Correction: This story was updated on Apr. 17 to correct the name of the student to Liu Jingyao, not Liu Jiangyao, as initially written in the New York Times story.