Short-drama star Liu Nian fought back Wednesday against a viral claim that she is under criminal investigation, with her studio calling the report fabricated, demanding retractions within 24 hours, and threatening lawsuits — all as her newest series premieres today.
The firestorm began when the entertainment marketing account “Youdian Entertainment” told Phoenix News that Liu Nian’s former agency had reported her to police last September for alleged occupational embezzlement, a claim that rocketed to the top trending slot on Weibo. China.com reported that Liu Nian’s studio issued a stern statement the same day, insisting that marketing accounts had fabricated stories that she was under criminal investigation and had embezzled commercial income, and warning that failure to delete the posts within 24 hours would trigger lawsuits and even police reports against the offenders.
Three Things to Know About Liu Nian’s Denial
- The police case was accepted in January 2026 and remains under investigation; a receipt of a report is not an indictment, and Liu Nian’s studio flatly denies every allegation.
- The leaker claims she demanded a 90/10 revenue split after going viral, registered her own company, and funneled over 1 million yuan in business payments away from the agency.
- The same marketing account spread a debunked tax-evasion claim about actress Liu Xiaoqing in May 2025, which Shanghai’s tax bureau publicly refuted.
The Police Receipt That Isn’t a Verdict
Phoenix News obtained details from a former agency employee who said the company filed its report at the end of last September after discovering Liu Nian had allegedly registered her own company in early September and redirected project payments to it. The leaker provided a police acceptance receipt showing the case was taken up by Beijing’s Chaoyang district police in January 2026, with the investigation still ongoing and no confirmation of whether Liu Nian has been summoned.
As Sina Finance pointed out, an acceptance receipt only proves police received the filing — it is not a decision to formally open a case, not a charge, and not a judgment. Whether Liu Nian committed any crime is a question only the investigation and courts can answer.
The 90/10 Split Fight Behind the Scandal
The leaker’s account, as relayed by Phoenix News, paints a classic industry rupture: Liu Nian allegedly asked to change the original 50/50 revenue split to 90/10 in her favor after she went viral, was refused, then sent a unilateral termination letter in mid-September and blocked all company staff. The former employee further alleged she colluded with a company staffer handling business deals to collect payments privately, with the amount exceeding one million yuan.
Sina Finance notes that split disputes and private deal-making are chronic friction points in China’s entertainment industry, and that such conflicts usually end in civil court rather than criminal charges. Liu Nian’s studio, for its part, maintains the criminal framing itself is the fabrication.
A Leaker With a Track Record
One detail that gives pause: Phoenix News reported that Youdian Entertainment previously accepted a tip in May 2025 claiming actress Liu Xiaoqing evaded taxes — and in August 2025, Shanghai’s tax bureau announced it found no evidence supporting that claim.
Business as Usual on Premiere Day
China.com noted she was still posting promotional content for a new short drama on October 30, and today her latest series, 《本官在此》, is scheduled to premiere — a reminder that in the short-drama world, the release calendar rarely waits for the courtroom.
Timeline of the Liu Nian Allegations
| Date | Development | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Youdian Entertainment spreads Liu Xiaoqing tax-evasion claim, later debunked by Shanghai tax bureau | Phoenix News |
| Sept 2025 | Agency allegedly reports Liu Nian for occupational embezzlement | Phoenix News |
| Jan 2026 | Police accept the case; investigation ongoing, no summons confirmed | Phoenix News |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Liu Nian still promoting a new short drama on Weibo | China.com |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Allegation trends No. 1; studio issues denial with 24-hour ultimatum | China.com |
| Nov 5, 2026 | Liu Nian’s series 《本官在此》 premieres | China.com |
Liu Nian, born in February 2001, debuted with AKB48 Team SH in 2018 and rose through 《创造101》 and 《创造营2020》 before becoming a fixture of 2025 and 2026 short dramas. The case was accepted ten months ago and remains unresolved, which means the only verified fact right now is that a dispute exists — not that a crime occurred.
