Huo Zun's girlfriend suspected of extortion, whether a settlement is possible remains unknown.
[4] Compiled from: Red Star News
On June 9, Zhai Xinxin was arrested for suspected extortion after six years, causing a heated discussion, while the extortion case involving the ex-girlfriend of the male singer Huo Zun, which attracted public attention, also saw new developments.
Case review
On August 8, 2021, Chen publicly announced her relationship with Huo Zun on Weibo. Chen had shared chat records and posted a long article detailing her efforts in a nine-year relationship, also accusing Huo Zun of setting her up in an attempt to have her convicted through extortion. On August 14, Huo Zun announced his apology and withdrawal from the public eye. In September, a video suspected to show Chen and her friend negotiating with Huo Zun surfaced, and on September 18, the police officially filed a case. On December 23, the Xuhui Branch of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau stated that Chen had been released on bail pending investigation for suspected extortion.
It is reported that Huo Zun tends to issue a reconciliation agreement to Chen, allowing him to receive a lighter sentence or even avoid prosecution, but the two parties have not reached an agreement, and the reconciliation process has not yet been completed.
Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China
Article 288
For the following public prosecution cases, if the criminal suspect or defendant sincerely repents, obtains the victim's forgiveness by compensating for losses or apologizing, and the victim voluntarily reconciles, both parties may reach a settlement:
Caused by civil disputes, suspected criminal cases under Chapters Four and Five of the Criminal Law, which may be punishable by imprisonment of up to three years;
Negligent criminal cases that may be sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment of less than seven years, except for dereliction of duty crimes.
If a criminal suspect or defendant has intentionally committed a crime within five years, the procedures stipulated in this chapter do not apply.
[1] The author's perspective
Celebrities often choose to keep their relationships secret in order to maintain their fame and popularity. Even if something happens that damages their reputation, they would rather use money to keep it quiet. However, many people take advantage of this mentality of celebrities and use some private matters to blackmail them.
From the above legal provisions, it can be seen that extortion falls under the offenses listed in Chapter Five of the Criminal Law. Therefore, if the victim, Huo Zun, is willing to forgive and settle, Chen may be able to avoid punishment, although the two sides have not yet reached an agreement. However, this also shows that whether Chen was hurt emotionally at the time or blinded by personal interests, he should not have used these matters to extort Huo Zun. Now, not only did he fail to get what he wanted, but he may also have to face imprisonment.
