JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: JD) subsided Monday after a report that the CEO will not be charged in a sexual assault case.
However, news out this morning also said Richard Liu is having to contend with a renewed bout of public scrutiny at home in China.
Prosecutors in Minnesota said Friday that they won't file charges against Liu, the CEO of Chinese e-commerce giant who was arrested in August on suspicion of rape.
Liu's case has gripped China, where billionaire company founders often enjoy celebrity status. Social media users have been sounding off in large numbers about the prosecutors' announcement and Liu's response.
The business leader, whose Chinese name is Liu Qiangdong, said in a statement that the prosecutors' decision "proves I broke no law." He went on to apologize for his "interactions" with the young woman who accused him of rape, saying his actions had hurt his family and his wife.
Many users said that while Liu, 45, may not have been charged, he still deserves censure for cheating on his wife, Zhang Zetian.
Zhang, 25, is a popular figure in China. Before she met Liu, she gained internet fame when a picture of her holding a cup of milk tea went viral, earning her the nickname "Sister Milk Tea." Zhang could not be reached for comment.
Shares in JD lost $1.70, or 8.1%, to $19.43.
