Over the past decadessbet77, the dance group Shen Yun Performing Arts has made money at a staggering rate.
The group had $60 million in 2015.
It had $144 million by 2019.
And by the end of last year, tax records show, it had more than a quarter of a billion dollars, stockpiling wealth at a pace that would be extraordinary for any company, let alone a nonprofit dance group from Orange County, N.Y.
Operated by Falun Gong, the persecuted Chinese religious movement, Shen Yun’s success flows in part from its ability to pack venues worldwide — while exploiting young, low-paid performers with little regard for their health or well-being.
But it also is a token of the power that Falun Gong’s founder, Li Hongzhi, has wielded over his followers. In the name of fighting communism, and obeying Mr. Li’s mystical teachings, they have created a global network to glorify him and enrich his movement.
Under Mr. Li’s direct leadership, Shen Yun has become a repository of vast wealth for Falun Gong, often accumulating money at the expense of its loyal adherents, a New York Times investigation has found.
It has raked in funds through ticket sales — nearly $39 million in 2023 alone — but also by using religious fealty to command the free labor of its followers. It has received tens of millions of dollars more in ways that may have crossed legal or ethical lines, The Times found.
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The reopened Mii amo hotel includes renovated accommodations, extensive wellness facilities and the new Hummingbird at Mii amo restaurant, above, which emphasizes seasonal local produce.Credit...Ken Hayden
After being closed for two years, this longstanding escape amid the red rocks of Sedona has reopened following a $40 million renovation and expansion. Part of the Relais & Châteaux hotel network, the hotel’s new additions include the Hummingbird at Mii amo restaurant, where you can enjoy seasonal local produce. There’s also a 3,300-square-foot movement and fitness studio; a reflexology path designed to massage and engage acupressure points on your feet; an expanded spa, where you can get a massage with CBD oil and try reiki or hypnosis; and a yoga lawn.
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