News
China home furnishing billionaire, 57, falls to death at home amidst probe by authorities
He was once Hubei's richest man.
July 30, 2025, 11:20 AM
Warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide. Reader discretion is advised.
The billionaire chairman of China's leading home furnishing company, Easyhome, passed away abruptly at the age of 57, amidst a probe by authorities for unspecified violations.
Wang Linpeng fell to his death at his home on Jul. 28, The Standard and Sin Chew Daily reported, citing Chinese news outlets.
Wang's death was subsequently confirmed in an exchange filing by Wuhan-based company Easyhome, Bloomberg reported.
His cause of death was not specified.
Passed away amidst probe by authorities
In April 2025, Wang, who is also the chief executive officer of Easyhome, was detained by Wuhan authorities, and his company shares were frozen.
This led to speculation that the company had gone public through a backdoor listing with another Wuhan-based company, leading to a loss of state-owned assets, Lianhe Zaobao reported.
On Jul. 23, five days before his death, Easyhome said Wang's detention had been lifted, according to The Standard.
He was placed under supervision pending investigations, and returned to his duties, the company said.
Background
Wang, known as the godfather of home furnishing retail in China, was once Hubei's richest man, with a net worth of 36.8 billion yuan (S$6.6 billion).
He was ranked 2,188 on the 2025 Hurun Global Rich List with an estimated fortune of 12.5 billion yuan (S$2.24 billion).
Wang's death comes amidst a decline in home sales in China, with Easyhome experiencing a drop in profits for three consecutive years, Bloomberg reported.
Easyhome's shares have slumped more than 17 per cent in 2025 so far, including a 3.4 per cent drop after Wang's death was announced by the company.
Wang's death is the second high-profile death in China's home furnishing industry this month.
On Jul. 17, Zeng Yuzhou, founder of China home renovation company Liangjiaju, fell to his death, Zaobao reported, citing Chinese news outlets.
Liangjiaju announced its closure shortly afterwards.
Top image from Weibo/Chinese media
