Rape Case Prosecutor: China Billionaire’s Wealth Irrelevant

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Nearly three months after Chinese billionaire Richard Liu was accused of rape and arrested in Minneapolis, there is still no word on whether he will face criminal charges.

The founder of Beijing-based e-commerce site JD.com was arrested Aug. 31 after a Chinese student at the University of Minnesota said she felt pressured to drink with him and he then attacked her. Liu was released and returned to China.

Prosecutors say Liu's wealth and status doesn't factor into their consideration of the case, and that the review will take as long as necessary.

Liu maintains his innocence. His lawyers say he's cooperating with the investigation and that his innocence will be apparent once all evidence is revealed.

Liu, known in Chinese as Liu Qiangdong, is worth $7.5 billion. He continues to lead JD.com.