Jack Ma

Following the suspension of Ant's IPO and the opening of a regulatory campaign against the Alibaba empire, Ma largely withdrew from public view for months, fuelling global speculation about his situation and Beijing's ability to discipline its billionaires.

State of the evidence

Documented

An Alibaba employee accused a manager and a client of sexual assault following an alcohol-fuelled business dinner. The case caused an internal crisis, suspensions and debate about the management culture inherited from Ma's era.

In Shanghai, Ma criticised banks for their 'pawnshop' mentality and regulators for applying outdated rules. A few days later, he was summoned alongside Ant executives, and Ant Group's IPO, expected to be the world's largest, was suspended.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Ma defended the so-called 996 culture — working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week — presenting it as an opportunity or a 'huge blessing' for ambitious young workers. His comments triggered major backlash in China.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

At a mass wedding event for Alibaba employees, Ma jokingly recommended '669' — six days, six times, with the duration forming the humorous element — echoing the debate about 996. The comment was widely considered inappropriate and sexist.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Chinese state media publicly identified Ma as a Communist Party member, a fact that had previously been little known. The revelation renewed international debate about the independence of major Chinese entrepreneurs from the party-state.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Alibaba's acquisition of the South China Morning Post prompted concerns about the editorial independence of Hong Kong's leading English-language newspaper, particularly following Alibaba's statements about wanting to correct what it considered an overly negative view of China.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press

Attribution

Directly implicated

China's commerce regulator accused Alibaba of failing to do enough to combat counterfeit, prohibited or poor-quality products on its platforms. The public confrontation with the company and Jack Ma was unusually fierce.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility

In an interview published by the Chinese edition of the South China Morning Post, Ma was quoted as defending, by analogy with decision-making, the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown as the most correct decision in the circumstances. The remarks caused major controversy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Alibaba transferred Alipay to an entity controlled by Jack Ma. Yahoo said that it had learned of the transaction only afterwards and maintained that it had been completed without board or shareholder approval, sparking a governance crisis with Yahoo and SoftBank.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility