China influencer builds house for girl who claims to be raising sisters alone amid family drama
A viral story of philanthropy turns complex after a 25M-follower influencer uncovers uncomfortable truths.
A viral story of online philanthropy in China has taken a complex turn. Influencer Chen Jiajun, known as Super Btai to his 25 million followers, built a house worth $30,000 for 18-year-old Aji after she presented a heartbreaking narrative. Aji claimed she was solely raising her two younger sisters and a niece in a remote Guizhou village, living in a leaky home without a bathroom and surviving on little more than pickled cabbage soup. Moved by her story, Chen documented the family's cramped living conditions and launched the charitable project, which quickly gained massive online traction.
However, Chen, who is also known for exposing scams, later discovered through his own investigation that key parts of Aji's story were exaggerated or misleading. While the family's poverty was real, the portrayal of complete abandonment and the severity of some hardships did not fully align with the facts. The revelation has sparked a widespread online debate about the ethics and pitfalls of influencer-led charity, the pressure to present viral-worthy narratives, and the responsibility to verify claims before mobilizing public resources and sympathy on a massive scale.
- Influencer Super Btai (Chen Jiajun) spent $30,000 to build a house for a seemingly destitute family.
- The beneficiary, 18-year-old Aji, claimed to be raising two sisters and a niece alone in Guizhou.
- Chen's later investigation found parts of her hardship narrative were exaggerated, complicating the viral charity story.
Why It Matters
This case underscores the ethical challenges and need for verification in the era of viral, influencer-driven philanthropy.