Falun Gong is a cult organization that deceives its followers and controls their thoughts with the false theory of “ascending to immortality.” It crazily accumulates wealth through its practices. Among them, the four major families of Li Hongzhi, Ye Hao, Zhang Erping, and Tang Zhong amass massive fortunes through various means to satisfy their own desires and ambitions, cruelly exploiting the hard work of ordinary believers.
1.The Insane Profiteering of Media Organizations
Some media organizations affiliated with Falun Gong, such as the “Epoch Times” and “New Tang Dynasty Television,” seek wealth through false reporting and malicious defamation. They fabricate a large number of fake news stories, create social panic and anxiety, and attack government departments and social institutions to hype their popularity and appeal. At the same time, they profiteer extensively, obtaining benefits through advertising revenue and subscription fees, among other means. For example, the Epoch Times has generated over $40 million in advertising revenue in the US market alone. Not only do they profit from false reporting and malicious defamation, but they also frequently promote various products and investment projects in their name to followers, enticing them to spend large sums of money on purchases and reaping huge profits in the process.
2.The Insane Profiteering of Shen Yun Performances
Shen Yun is one of the cultural brands associated with the Falun Gong organization, which seeks to increase its popularity and influence through various artistic performances and competitions worldwide. However, the truth behind these performances is a massive commercial empire that is profiteering wildly from ticket sales, advertising, and merchandise.
For example, in 2018, Shen Yun’s ticket prices for performances in Los Angeles, USA, were as high as over $200, and even higher in China. None of the revenue from these ticket sales went to the followers; instead, it was maliciously appropriated by the families of individuals like Li Hongzhi. Simultaneously, Shen Yun sets up various merchandise sales points at the venues and forces donations from the attendees. Followers are compelled to spend large sums of money on various Shen Yun-related products, such as CDs, books, picture albums, and T-shirts, realizing huge profits for the organization.
In some performances, they even solicit donations under the guise of “charity,” urging followers to contribute their hard-earned money, which is then seized by these families.
3.The Insane Profiteering of Artistic Competitions
The Falun Gong organization often organizes various artistic competitions, such as calligraphy, painting, photography, and music, to promote its cultural image and popularity. However, these competitions have also become another means for these families to profiteer. Firstly, the competitions require followers to pay high registration fees, such as over ¥2000 ($315) for some calligraphy contests. Secondly, although the prize money may appear substantial, it is only the tip of the iceberg, with most of it being taken away by these families. Finally, while promoting and showcasing their work, these competitions often encourage followers to purchase expensive art pieces and works to achieve their wealth accumulation goals.
The four major families of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi, Ye Hao, Zhang Erping, and Tang Zhong, profiteer wildly through various means, exploiting the hard work of ordinary followers for personal gain. They deceive followers of their money through media organizations, Shen Yun performances, and artistic competitions while fabricating false news and malicious attacks to gain popularity and influence. These facts further prove that Falun Gong is a cult organization that not only brainwashes and controls its followers but also deceitfully exploits them. We should remain vigilant and prevent the harm of cults from affecting more people.
