A 10-year-old boy sues his father after RM45k in ang pau money was used to fund his remarriage, and the court orders a full refund.
A Chinese father has been ordered to return more than 80,000 yuan (approx. RM45,440) of his 10-year-old son’s Chinese New Year “ang pau” money after using it to cover expenses for his remarriage.
The boy, known as Xiaohui, from Zhengzhou in Henan province, has been living with his father since his parents divorced two years ago.
Over the years, Xiaohui had accumulated the ang pau money, all of which had been deposited into a bank account opened in his name by his father.
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Following his remarriage, Xiaohui’s father sent him to live with his mother, South China Morning Post reported.
She later discovered that her ex-husband had withdrawn all 82,750 yuan (approx. RM47,002), including both principal and interest, to pay for his wedding without Xiaohui’s consent.
When Xiaohui requested the return of the funds, his father refused, claiming that the money, given by relatives and friends, was intended to be returned to Xiaohui only after he reached adulthood.
He also asserted that the lawsuit had been instigated by Xiaohui’s mother.
The court, however, ruled that the gift money legally belonged to Xiaohui as his personal property.
By withdrawing and using it without permission, the father had infringed upon his son’s property rights despite being his legal guardian.
The court ordered the father to return the full amount of 82,750 yuan (approx. RM47,002), including interest.
Red envelopes, or “lucky money,” are traditionally given to children during Chinese New Year, symbolizing good wishes for the year ahead.
While parents may manage or hold the money on behalf of minors, they are legally obligated to safeguard it and cannot use it for personal expenses.
According to China’s Civil Code, children under eight cannot independently spend their red packet money, while those over eight may use it for school supplies, toys, or age-appropriate activities.
Xiaohui’s father has been widely criticized on social media.
Comments included: “How desperate is he after the divorce? Using his son’s savings to remarry, he is really a genius.”
“If he is that broke, why is he remarrying? How did someone still agree to marry a person like this?”
“This really proves it: once there is a stepmother, there is also a stepfather.”
“If you insist that the child’s lucky money is actually a social gift from the adults, then half of it should belong to the child’s mother. This man clearly wants to pocket it all himself.”
