Woman who accused Chinese billionaire Liu of rape sues

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A woman who says JD.com founder Richard Liu raped her in Minneapolis is suing the Chinese billionaire and his company.

Jingyao Liu, a student at the University of Minnesota, sued Liu on Tuesday, alleging that he raped her at her apartment.

Liu was arrested Aug. 31 in Minneapolis on suspicion of felony rape and released within hours. He had been attending a weeklong residency as part of the University of Minnesota’s doctor of business administration China program.

Prosecutors announced in December that Liu would not face criminal charges because they could not prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Liu’s attorneys said at the time that his arrest was based on a false claim.

The Associated Press does not generally name alleged victims of sexual assault without their consent. Jingyao Liu’s attorney Wil Florin said she had agreed to allow her name to be used.