Zhao Wei & Huang Youlong — China's Billion-Dollar Scandal Divorce
China's biggest actress married a billionaire businessman — then regulatory crackdowns, investor lawsuits, and stock fraud tore them apart.
Key Facts
What Happened
Zhao Wei, known internationally as Vicky Zhao, was one of China's most bankable actresses, with a career spanning blockbuster films and massive endorsement deals. She secretly married businessman Huang Youlong in 2009, and their combined net worth reportedly reached $1 billion USD. The couple maintained a relatively private life despite Zhao's celebrity.
The unraveling began in 2017 when both Zhao Wei and Huang Youlong were implicated in a stock market manipulation scandal involving their attempt to acquire a controlling stake in a media company using excessive leverage. Chinese regulators fined them and banned Zhao from the securities market. Over 500 investors filed lawsuits against the couple, and Zhao was held legally accountable as an accomplice.
By 2019, the constant legal battles and marital discord had become unbearable. Zhao filed for divorce, and the split was finalized privately in mid-2021. However, she did not publicly confirm the divorce until December 2024, when she released a statement asking the public to disassociate her from her ex-husband's ongoing financial disputes — including allegations linking Huang to fraud operations.
The Zhao-Huang divorce illustrates a phenomenon increasingly common in China: government regulatory actions that destroy a couple's shared business interests can be the catalyst for divorce. When the state targets your joint ventures, the marriage often cannot survive the combined financial and reputational destruction.
Legal Breakdown: How government regulatory actions and stock market fraud trigger divorce
Regulatory Risk as Marital Destabilizer
When both spouses are implicated in regulatory violations, the resulting fines, bans, and lawsuits create financial and emotional pressure that frequently leads to divorce. In China, where government enforcement can be swift and severe, this risk is especially acute.
Joint Liability in Business Ventures
Zhao was held legally accountable as Huang's accomplice in the stock manipulation scheme. This illustrates the danger of joint business ventures between spouses — when one spouse's actions trigger liability, both may be held responsible.
Delayed Public Disclosure
Zhao kept her divorce secret for three years, only confirming it when Huang's new scandals threatened her reputation. In jurisdictions with strong privacy protections, this kind of delayed disclosure is possible — and sometimes strategically necessary.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →Joint business ventures between spouses create shared liability — if one spouse commits fraud, both may face consequences.
- →Government regulatory actions can destroy not just a business but a marriage, especially when both spouses are implicated.
- →Delaying public announcement of a divorce can be a strategic choice to protect reputation and business interests.
- →In China, where celebrity and business are closely intertwined, divorce decisions are often driven by regulatory and reputational risk rather than personal incompatibility.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.