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 The 37-year-old actor, whose June disappearance touched off wild
speculation about her whereabouts, has appeared in the "X-Men"
and "Iron Man" film franchises, attracting more than 62 million
online followers in China.
Xinhua said an investigation by Chinese tax authorities found
Fan had split her contract to evade taxes of 7.3 million yuan
($1.1 million) over payments for her role in "Air Strike", a
film due to be released this year.
Fan and companies she represented also evaded 248 million yuan
($36 million) in additional taxes, Xinhua said, but it gave no
details regarding this figure.
The tax bureau in the eastern coastal province of Jiangsu
delivered its judgment to Fan on Sunday, levying fines of more
than 596 million yuan ($86.7 million) for tax evasion and
assessing overdue taxes of more than 288 million yuan ($42
million), Xinhua said.
In a letter posted on her official account on the Twitter-like
platform Weibo, Fan said she fully accepted the authorities'
decision, would overcome "all difficulties" to pay the
penalties, and step up supervision of her companies.
"I'm ashamed of my behavior and I apologize here to everyone,"
Fan wrote.
"Every bit of my achievement is inseparable from the support of
the state and the people. Without the good policies of the
Communist Party and the state, without the love of the people,
there is no Fan Bingbing."
Xinhua said that under Chinese law Fan, as a first-time
offender, would face no criminal charges if she complied with
the judgment and paid all the money by an undisclosed deadline.
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Reuters could not immediately reach Fan or a representative to seek
comment. Xinhua said police had put a "restriction" on Fan's agent
for attempting to conceal and destroy evidence during the
investigations in June.
Fan dropped off the radar that month, amid reports that she was
involved in the investigation, a vanishing act that prompted reports
she had been detained.
On Wednesday, the South China Morning Post said Fan was released two
weeks ago from "residential surveillance" at a "holiday resort" in
Jiangsu used to investigate officials. She was transferred to
Beijing for further investigation, the Post said, citing unnamed
sources.
Since June, China has been investigating tax evasion in its film and
television industry, following reports that some of its most famous
actors have been accused of signing so-called "yin-yang" contracts,
one of which sets out the real terms, while a second, with a lower
figure, is meant for tax officials.
The State Administration of Taxation (SAT) said companies and
individuals in the industry who voluntarily "rectify their behavior"
and pay back taxes evaded prior to December 31 will be exempt from
administrative punishment and fines, Xinhua said.
($1=6.8680 Chinese yuan renminbi)
(Reporting by Yawen Chen and Martin Pollard; Editing by Clarence
Fernandez and Darren Schuettler)
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