Beijing, September 3: The founder of JD.com, one of China's largest online retailer was arrested on Friday in Minneapolis for alleged sexual misconduct. The billionaire Liu Qiangdong -- also known as Richard Liu was arrested for a brief period, as he was released on Saturday afternoon.

In a statement posted on Chinese social media network Weibo, JD.com confirmed that Liu had been arrested over what it described as a false allegation during a business trip. According to the statement, authorities found no evidence of misconduct and released Liu to continue his trip. Longquan Monastery Abbot Shi Xuecheng Accused of Sexual Misconduct As #MeToo Movement Gains Traction in China

Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said Sunday that he couldn't provide any details because the investigation is considered active. He declined to say where in Minneapolis Liu was arrested or what Liu was accused of doing.

Minnesota law defines five degrees of criminal sexual misconduct, ranging from a gross misdemeanour to felonies, covering a broad array of conduct ranging from nonconsensual touching to violent assaults with injuries. The jail records for Liu don't indicate a degree.

Liu recently tried to distance himself from sexual assault allegations against a guest at a 2015 party at Liu's penthouse in Australia. Liu was not charged or accused of wrongdoing, but the Australian media reported he tried unsuccessfully to get a court to prevent the release of his name in that case. The guest was convicted.

(With inputs from agencies)

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2018 11:14 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).