Crypto billionaire Justin Sun is suing Chinese actress Jing Tian and her parents to recover approximately $4.5 million that he says was paid as a traditional marriage-related gift. Sun, the 36-year-old founder of the blockchain company Tron, alleges that the relationship with the 38-year-old actress, known for her roles in Hollywood films like "The Great Wall," collapsed after a dispute over plans to have a child via surrogacy in the United States.
Sun stated that he transferred 30 million yuan, equivalent to about $4.5 million, to Jing Tian's parents with the intention of marrying her. "We dated with marriage in mind," Sun said in a written response to The Wall Street Journal. However, he claims that marriage plans unraveled when the other party demanded $50 million for surrogacy and subsequently cut off communication after he refused to pay.
Jing Tian's lawyer confirmed that a court has accepted a lawsuit seeking the return of the 30 million yuan from Jing and her parents. Jing herself has made a public statement on social media, acknowledging she has "shown poor judgment" in men and asserting that she "will never sell my love for money." She added, "I believe in the law," and expressed confidence that "justice and fairness will ultimately prevail."
In a peculiar turn, Sun also published a social media post titled "My Girlfriend Jing Tian," which he later disclaimed as fictional. This post detailed his alleged private movie-theater date with the actress and the payment to her family. According to this account, Sun consulted an AI chatbot, Anthropic's Claude, for advice after the alleged $50 million surrogacy demand before deciding against payment. The disclaimer accompanying his narrative has made it difficult to independently verify some of the more sensational details.
Sun, whose net worth Forbes estimates at around $8.5 billion, founded Tron in 2017. He has previously garnered attention for significant purchases, including a $6.2 million artwork of a banana duct-taped to a wall, which he later consumed, and a $4.57 million charity lunch with Warren Buffett. He also paid $28 million for a future seat on a Blue Origin spaceflight.
Sun has faced legal and regulatory challenges. In 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit against him and associated entities for alleged securities violations and market manipulation. This case was resolved in March with a $10 million civil penalty paid by Rainberry, a company linked to Sun's crypto operations, while claims against Sun himself and related foundations were dismissed.
Jing Tian's career has included roles in Chinese and major Hollywood productions. Her romantic life has previously been a subject of public scrutiny. She previously dated Olympic table tennis champion Zhang Jike, and was reportedly involved in a scandal in 2023 concerning intimate videos and an extortion attempt.