Jiang Fan removed as Alibaba Group partner due to alleged marital infidelity

Alibaba Group announced on Monday the decision to remove Jiang Fan, president of its Tmall and Taobao sites, as one of its 38 partners due to alleged marital infidelity that has hurt the company's reputation.

He was downgraded from senior vice-president to VP but managed to keep for now his position as head of Tmall and Taobao - arguably among China's most powerful e-commerce platforms, according to a company statement.

He also will be deprived of all bonuses from the previous financial year.

Earlier this month, via a social media post, Jiang's wife, Dong Yang, publicly denounced Zhang Dayi for allegedly seducing Jiang, sparking public outcry. Some believed the case is worth prudent investigation as an influencer marketing company in which Zhang holds stakes has been backed by Alibaba, casting doubt as a potential conflict of interest.

Alibaba said that after internal investigations, no evidence showed Jiang's involvement in related deals, business decisions, or misconduct of any kind. But the decision was made as punishment related to his mishandling of personal affairs that has severely tainted the company's image.