A staggering 5.6 million yuan fine has thrust top influencer “Lao Ge from Taiyuan”—who boasts over 90 million followers—back into the spotlight in a decidedly unflattering way.
According to reports on November 28, the Shanxi Provincial Market Supervision Bureau announced at a special press briefing that the Taiyuan branch had issued a hefty fine this August against Shanxi Lao Ge Trading Co., Ltd., the company associated with the influencer. Investigations revealed that between September 2023 and March 2025, spanning a year and a half of live-streaming, the top-traffic host engaged in false advertising and price manipulation for more than 30 products, including ultrasonic guns and bear bile powder. The result: a 5.6 million yuan penalty.
The news quickly set the Chinese internet ablaze. Yet, many netizens reacted with disbelief, labeling the fine as “too light!” Comments flooded social media, ranging from “ineffective” to “he should be banned permanently.” Some users sharply pointed out that 5.6 million yuan might barely match what Lao Ge earns in a single livestream, citing reports of him generating 50 million yuan in gifts on certain days. One commenter bluntly summarized the sentiment: “It may look like false advertising, but it’s simply scamming people.”
Still, this fine might only represent a partial cost for Lao Ge. The official report hints at broader risks within his business model: from fabricating product efficacy and manipulating prices to operating dangerously close to legal boundaries involving gambling or criminal liability. The outcome of ongoing criminal investigations will likely be the true determinant of the influencer’s ultimate fate.
Lao Ge’s fall from the top was hardly accidental. This case exposes a systemic problem in the livestreaming industry: in an ecosystem dominated by traffic and clicks, some top-tier influencers have treated their platforms as lawless zones. By issuing a high-profile public warning, regulators are sending a strong signal of “punish to reform.” Going forward, stricter platform audits and mandatory compliance checks for offending hosts may become the new standard.
Ultimately, this scandal surrounding one of China’s biggest online personalities goes far beyond a single fine. It serves as a sharp wake-up call for those pursuing profits without limits, while simultaneously testing the resolve of regulators and the overall industry climate. When traffic and ethical boundaries collide, the question remains: will it be a light slap or a harsh corrective? All eyes are now watching—who will be the next “Lao Ge”?
