A poor graduate student quit school after receiving contributions from society and continued to ask for money in the name of tuition. Years later, one of his sponsors discovered the truth and brought him to court. The case, the first of its kind, was heard in southwestern China's Chongqing Nunicipality.
Li Fuhua showed off the bank receipt from his donations in this undated photo. [cqwb.com.cn] |
Duan Linxia, 28, a Chongqing citizen, was admitted by the reputable Peking University in 2003. Unable to pay the tuition fees, he worked as a laborer in Chongqing to earn money before the semester started. Local media reported his story and offers to help flooded in from readers.
Li Fuhua, a businessman in Chongqing, was one of them.
"I funded him several times," Li told the Chongqing Evening News. "In 2005, he told me that he needed another sum of money for tuition and I gave him 24,000 yuan without hesitation."
His contributions totaled more than 40,000 yuan, or about US$5,446, in all, Li said.
Earlier this year, Li tried to contact Duan, only to find that he had quit school as early as 2004 and started his own business with the donations he had received.
Feeling deceived, Li filed a lawsuit in a local court, requesting Duan to return his donations.
"If the money is returned, I will donate it again to students who really need it," Li said.
