China's biggest social media celebrity, Guo Meimei, jailed for running illegal gambling dens
One of China's most high-profile social media celebrities has been sentenced to five years in prison and handed a fine of 50,000 yuan ($7,800) after being found guilty of running an illegal gambling den.
Guo Meimei, who claimed to work for a company affiliated with the Red Cross, shot to online fame in 2011 with social media posts of her lavish lifestyle surrounded by expensive cars and mansions.
Meimei however was illicitly operating casinos out of private apartments in Beijing which she pleaded not guilty to on the grounds that she lacked "legal knowledge" when the crimes occurred.
Her social media account proved to be her downfall after she posted photos of her riding a jet ski in a bikini, and another posing behind the wheel of a Lamborghini to her 2 million followers on her Weibo microblog account
Police suspicion gradually increased after her ostentatious photos sparked widespread condemnation as to how a charity worker could sustain such lavish lifestyle. This lead to a decline in donations to China’s Red Cross despite the charity denying it had any connection with Meimei.
Guo's attorney Wu Junqiang told state media Beijing Morning Post that Guo has not yet decided whether to appeal.