"I have declared war on them. It will be difficult for me to cease hostilities, and obtaining my forgiveness is likely an even harder task."
On November 20, Lan Shili, former richest man in Hubei and a private entrepreneur, held a press conference in Beijing regarding his legal dispute with Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Yihai Kerry Arawana"). He stated three key points: 1. He disagrees with the first and second-instance court rulings and has applied for a retrial with the Shanghai High People's Court. 2. He is suing Yihai Kerry Arawana for restitution of unjust enrichment, compensation for legal fees and emotional damages, and demanding a public apology. 3. He accuses Yihai Kerry Arawana of exploiting legal loopholes during litigation and enforcement.
This controversy has thrust the former Hubei tycoon and the edible oil giant back into the spotlight.
**The Resurgence of the Dispute** In July 2024, a report about "tankers transporting cooking oil immediately after delivering coal-derived oil" went viral. Lan Shili subsequently posted a video on Douyin and Toutiao titled *"The Scandal of Oil Tankers Transporting Cooking Oil in Wuhan is Outrageous!"* In the video, he claimed: - "These tankers delivered cooking oil to Yihai Kerry Arawana's factory." - "Yihai Kerry Arawana's market value dropped by 650 billion yuan in two days." - "Transporting cooking oil without cleaning the tankers is no different from toxic milk."
These remarks sparked widespread discussion online and led to Yihai Kerry Arawana suing Lan for defamation. The company argued that Lan's statements were false, fabricated stock price data, and unfairly labeled their products as "toxic," damaging their reputation.
On April 8, 2025, the Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Court issued a first-instance ruling. The court ordered Lan to: - Issue a public apology on Douyin and Toutiao, with the statement pinned for seven days. - Pay 20,000 yuan in legal fees and 10,000 yuan in damages.
Lan appealed to the Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court, arguing that his comments were a legitimate expression of public concern over food safety. However, on September 29, the appellate court upheld the original verdict.
Lan later complied with the judgment. He provided a receipt showing a payment of 100,000 yuan (ten times the required amount due to an accounting error) to Yihai Kerry Arawana on October 21.
On November 11, Lan posted an apology on Douyin, stating: *"I sincerely apologize to Yihai Kerry Arawana and promise not to spread false information in the future. I will abide by the law and accept public supervision."*
**Why the "War" Continues** Despite fulfilling his obligations, Lan accused Yihai Kerry Arawana of "bullying." He claimed that after receiving the payment, the company failed to notify the court and instead applied for enforcement, freezing his domestic and overseas accounts. He said this left him stranded during a business trip in the U.S.
Additionally, Lan alleged that Yihai Kerry Arawana boosted the visibility of his apology video, which garnered 741,000 views—far exceeding his usual 190,000–200,000 range.
On November 15, Lan filed a retrial petition with the Shanghai High People's Court, seeking to overturn the previous rulings. He also announced plans to sue Yihai Kerry Arawana separately for: - Returning the overpaid 90,000 yuan. - Issuing a public apology. - Covering all legal and attorney fees.
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