Eleanor Lee’s ex-assistant admits to faking audio clip of China insult, actress files police report

Eleanor Lee’s ex-assistant admits to faking audio clip that caused scandal, Lee files police report

Singaporean actress Eleanor Lee has been vindicated after her former assistant confessed to faking the now-infamous audio clip that allegedly captured Ms Lee insulting mainland Chinese people.

In a bombshell Weibo post on Wednesday (21 May), the ex-assistant — who identified themselves as Xiao Pang — admitted to maliciously editing and splicing together bits of audio from past conversations with Lee.

Xiao Pang had worked with Ms Lee from 2017 to 2019 under her previous management agency, according to 8days.

The former assistant said they created the doctored clip to gain leverage in negotiations. She said she felt as though she had been “treated unfairly” over an unresolved labour dispute with Ms Lee’s previous management agency.

“After receiving criticism and education from the public security authorities, I have come to deeply realise the severity of my actions,” wrote Xiao Pang, who expressed remorse and apologised directly to Ms Lee.

Audio clip was edited as leverage in personal feud

Xiao Pang revealed that the fake audio was a result of their frustration over how things ended with Ms Lee’s former agency in 2019.

They admitted to secretly recording conversations during their time working with Ms Lee, and later cherry-picking clips out of context to fabricate a damning audio narrative in 2024.

The false recording, which made waves online earlier this year, sparked backlash against Lee, with netizens accusing her of being anti-China.

“I was vague because I thought it would shield me from responsibility. I never expected it to spiral into such a serious incident,” the former assistant added, acknowledging that the actress “never expressed any anti-China sentiment”.

“She definitely did not say the things I spliced into that recording.”

Eleanor Lee files police report, reaffirms love for China

Following the confession, Ms Lee, 25, posted a video statement on social media confirming she had filed a police report and is working closely with the authorities.

She clarified that the audio in question was “illegally recorded” and “maliciously edited” during the former assistant’s conflict with her previous agency.

“I was born in Taiwan, China, and returned to the Mainland at 16. It has been 10 years now. My stance and feelings towards China have never wavered,” Lee stated.

She urged the public to stop spreading the clip and related false claims, adding: “I would never say anything that insults China or the Chinese people.”

Also read: S’pore actress Eleanor Lee loses over 30,000 followers on Douyin amid alleged China insult audio leak