TRON founder Justin Sun sues actress Jing Tian to recover $4.5M paid as betrothal gift for planned marriage. Court in Xi'an accepts case; no hearing yet. Both sides dispute gift vs. marriage payment.
Tags:Chinese crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun has filed a lawsuit against actress Jing Tian and her parents, seeking the return of more than 30 million yuan, approximately US$4.5 million, which he claims was provided in connection with their plans to marry.
Sun, the founder of the TRON blockchain platform, is widely known internationally for purchasing Maurizio Cattelan’s conceptual artwork “Comedian,” featuring a banana taped to a wall, for US$6.2 million in 2024.
According to Sun’s lawyer, Sun and Jing were previously in a romantic relationship and had discussed marriage. Sun reportedly transferred more than 30 million yuan to Jing’s parents, which his legal team describes as a traditional Chinese betrothal or marriage payment, known as “caili.”
After the relationship ended without the couple marrying, Sun initiated legal proceedings to recover the money.
The case has reportedly been accepted by the Yanta District People’s Court in Xi’an. Sun has also applied for asset preservation measures, which may restrict the defendants from transferring or disposing of certain assets while the dispute is being considered.
Jing Tian’s side has challenged the court’s jurisdiction, and the case has not yet proceeded to a substantive hearing. No court has ruled on whether the payment must be returned.
The dispute attracted significant public attention after Sun published a lengthy account of their relationship on social media. In the post, he described their relationship, marriage discussions and alleged plans to have a child through surrogacy.
Sun also alleged that Jing later requested an additional US$50 million during preparations related to fertility treatment in the United States. He said he ultimately decided not to provide the money, after which the relationship ended.
These claims remain allegations made by Sun and have not been established by a court.
Jing’s representatives have rejected the broader portrayal of her relationship with Sun and previously denied rumors concerning surrogacy arrangements. Jing also responded publicly, saying she had never exchanged love for financial gain and that she trusted the legal process to determine the facts.
The central legal question is expected to be whether the 30 million yuan transferred to Jing’s family should legally be considered a marriage-related betrothal payment or simply a voluntary gift made during the relationship.
Under Chinese law, courts may order the return of certain marriage-related payments when a planned marriage does not take place. However, judges typically consider factors including the purpose of the payment, the relationship between the parties, local customs, the amount involved and documentary evidence such as bank transfers and communications.
For now, the dispute remains unresolved, with both sides presenting significantly different accounts of the relationship and the circumstances surrounding the payment.
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