BEIJING – The only son of property billionaire Wang Jianlin – once Asia’s richest man – was arrested for attacking a man in Shanghai, Beijing News reported.

Wang Sicong was one of four people detained by police in Shanghai’s Jinan district after they beat up a man on Wednesday for allegedly taking photos of them, the report said, citing unidentified sources.

The man they attacked was actually waiting for a vehicle on the sidewalk, according to a police statement detailing the incident, which did not identify Wang by his full name.

The victim suffered minor injuries, including a broken nose and several scratches on the face, it said.

The police will detain Wang and the three others with him for five to seven days with a fine of 500 yuan (S$98) each, pending a decision on their appeals, according to the police statement.

It is the latest controversy for the younger Wang, 35, who is known for his flamboyant personality and lavish lifestyle.

He first shot to fame for a 2015 social media post boasting that he bought two gold Apple Watches – then retailing for as much as US$17,000 (S$22,460) each – for his pet dog.

Besides running Prometheus Capital, founded in 2012 as a family fund, Wang Sicong has launched a variety of businesses, none of which have reached the heights of success of his father’s ventures.

In 2019, Wang was declared a debtor by a court in Beijing for owing 151 million yuan and barred from making unnecessary purchases such as property and first-class tickets. He later settled with creditors.

He remains influential on social media.

In April 2022, shares of traditional Chinese medicine maker Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical plunged 10 per cent in one day after Wang reposted a video on social media that questioned whether the World Health Organisation had ever recommended the firm’s drug as a Covid-19 treatment, after the city of Shanghai distributed the medicine to residents.

Mr Wang Jianlin, 68, has seen his wealth shrink from a peak of US$46 billion in 2015 to US$6.6 billion now, according to Bloomberg data.

He once aspired to make Dalian Wanda an entertainment conglomerate like Walt Disney, a goal that was derailed by China’s crackdown on debt-fueled expansion around 2017, which forced the company to dispose of trophy assets like Spanish soccer club Atletico Madrid. BLOOMBERG