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Dad stole R326 000 charity cash for son with rare illness

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Mo Chunyi. (Photo: ASIAWIRE/MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA)
Mo Chunyi. (Photo: ASIAWIRE/MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA)

A dad who lied about being poor in order to raise money for his sick son has been ordered to repay the money.

The case was brought before the Chaoyang District Court in China’s capital city Beijing by the crowdfunding project Shuidichou who said that the accused, identified as Mo Chunyi (28), had wasted the money on other things.

He first contacted Shuidichou, a crowdfunding platform that raises money for medical treatment for people who can’t afford it, in April of last year. He said his then seven-month-old son was diagnosed with a rare chromosomal disease known as Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and he needed to raise about R853 000.

Chunyi, who told Shuidichou he was bankrupt and had run up debts of more than R420 000, was able to collect raise R326 000 in just 30 hours.

But the crowdfund was put on hold when people contacted the online platform to say that he owns a valuable street property that would generate considerable income.

Shuidichou, however, allowed Chunyi to withdraw the money he’d already raised after he told them that the property belonged to his father and said that his wife was unemployed.

The boy died in July. Five days after that, Chunyi’s his wife then contacted the website again and confirmed that her husband had lied about their financial situation.

She also alleged that none of the crowdfunding money had been spent on their son’s medical treatment.

After investigating in August, the site asked that the money be returned and when he refused, they filed a lawsuit.

The court agreed that Chunyi had lied about his financial situation and he hadn’t used the money for what it was intended. This constituted a breach of contract and fraud.

As a result, he was ordered to pay all back plus a fine and interest.

Source: Magazine Features

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