Earlier this year, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) unexpectedly launched an investigation into the local operations of DouYu, a leading live streaming platform backed by Tencent Holdings. Reports indicated that the probe was related to prohibited content, such as pornography. However, a recent report from the state-owned media outlet, Cover News, revealed that the chairman of DouYu, Chen Shaojie, has recently gone missing. There are speculations that his disappearance may be linked to the platform’s content involving gambling and pornography.
The report stated that Shaojie was “taken away” by Chinese authorities and is currently assisting with an ongoing investigation. His last public appearance was approximately three weeks ago, and the details of the investigation remain unclear. It is also uncertain whether this is connected to the CAC’s earlier probe into DouYu.
This is not the first instance of a high-ranking executive going missing in China. Bao Fan, the CEO of China Renaissance, and Jack Ma, the CEO of Alibaba, have also temporarily disappeared from public view.
In response to the news of Shaojie’s disappearance, DouYu stated that its operations are continuing as usual. However, the company did not provide any information on the chairman’s whereabouts and did not confirm or deny his involvement in the ongoing investigation in China.
Shaojie’s last public appearance was during a conference call in August to discuss the company’s second-quarter results. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance and the potential impact on DouYu’s operations remain uncertain.