New Delhi: In what appears to be an instance of fund embezzlement, a cancer patient from China has used the crowdfunding money he raised to treat his ailment, to buy a flat instead.


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A report in the South China Morning Post said that a 29-year-old cancer patient that goes by the surname Lan, had sought to raise 900,000 yuan (USD 125,000) online for treatment of his cancer. The youth hailing from Yichang in Hubei province of central China, was diagnosed with rare cancer --Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The incident was first reported by Red Star News.


Describing his financial condition, Lan said that he was in utter distress after incurring heavy medical bill due to his father's ailment and his subsequent demise due to which the family's finances were in complete disarray.


Introducing himself as a 2020 graduate from Nanjing University in Jiangsu province (Shanghai), he said that he worked at a big internet company in Guangzhou (southern China) before he was diagnosed with cancer.


Within just few days of his fund-raising effort, Lan was able to raise 700,000 yuan (USD 97,000 or Rs 81 Lakh) from various donors.


"Doubts surfaced among donors regarding Lan’s financial transparency when, on November 6, he shared images of a newly bought flat in a group chat, claiming that the crowdfunding effort brought in more than 700,000 yuan in just a few days. The group message also shows Lan claiming: “This is my new home, total price 738,000 yuan,” raising suspicions of fund embezzlement," South China Morning Post wrote.


However, it turned out that the man was actually from a wealthy family, as records from a previous marriage advertisement of his revealed.


"... marriage advertisement posted by Lan disclosed that his family owned multiple properties, including two residential flats valued up to one million yuan (US$140,000). The family also owned commercial property worth more than 3.8 million yuan generating 145,000 yuan in annual rental income. However, his profile on the crowdfunding platform listed only a single property valued between 300,000 and 500,000 yuan (US$40,000 and US$70,000) and a car he claimed was “up for sale”," wrote South China Morning Post.


Meanwhile, the crowdfunding platform has learnt to have terminated Lan’s channel which said,  “In accordance with platform rules, all funds raised by Lan have been fully recovered and will be refunded to the donors,” the platform stated, adding that Lan is now permanently banned and blacklisted as a "discredited fundraiser."


Lan's conduct has left the donors and netizens shocked with people commenting that his misconduct reduces the probability of genuine people in dire need getting any help.


Another person said that the dubiousness involved in crowdfunding is a major reason that he desists from donating, adding that he only donates to people he knows of.