Hong Kong actor Louis Cheung found himself embroiled in a credibility controversy after sharing a crowdfunding plea from a cancer patient on social media. As the beneficiary was revealed by netizens to be well-off, Cheung’s call to donate was accused of being 'unverified', with some demanding he compensate donors for their losses!
The controversy started with Mr. Chan (Fox), a PE teacher and father to a nine-month-old son in Hong Kong. He claimed to be suffering from Crohn’s disease and stage 4 metastatic adenocarcinoma. Faced with mounting medical expenses and family burdens, he launched an online crowdfunding campaign. Louis Cheung then reposted the plea on his Instagram Stories, expressing sympathy for Chan’s youth and severe illness, and called on his followers to generously donate to help him through the tough times.
However, shortly after the crowdfunding was launched, the situation quickly turned. Numerous netizens dug into Chan and his family’s backgrounds on social platforms, revealing a lifestyle starkly contrasting the poverty described in his original plea—living in a spacious standalone house, with his wife clad in designer goods. Many questioned whether they were truly unable to afford medical treatment. Some even claimed to have been blocked by the campaigner immediately after donating.
As the sharer, Louis Cheung was not spared. His Instagram was soon flooded with angry comments, accusing him of urging people to donate without proper fact-checking and thereby becoming an 'accomplice'. Many demanded he stop appealing for donations and some even called for him to take responsibility and compensate those who suffered losses. As of now, Cheung has yet to respond to the controversy.