The government has taken down the country's top live streamer, which has led to a rush to pay back taxes.
The Chinese government imposed a record fine of over a billion dollars for tax evasion on Viya, who is known for hosting a popular shopping stream on the e-commerce platform.
She has over 120 million followers on various platforms and is known for her ability to sell almost anything, including a 40 million Chinese yuan ($6 million) rocket launch service in 2020.
Within a matter of hours, Viya raised $32 million through a live stream for businesses and individuals in the area ravaged by Covid.
The government announced in September that it would strengthen its regulation of state revenue collection from the entertainment sector, and more than 1,000 live streamers have stepped forward to pay back taxes.
Two other high-profile Chinese live streamers were fined for tax evasion in September, but Viya is the most significant star to have fallen so far.
According to a copy of the notice Insider saw, Viya apologized for the violation on her Weibo account, which had 18 million followers, and would accept the punishment meted by the tax authority. She promised to pay the fine on time.
Despite the apology, Weibo, Douyin, and Taobao took her accounts offline.
Beijing is increasing its oversight of the entertainment industry. In November, China's internet regulator said that celebrities in China must avoid flaunting their wealth and adhere to core socialist values.
The names of 88 celebrities were included on a blacklist that China revealed in November.
