U.S. student sues JD.com's CEO Liu, company over rape allegation

A University of Minnesota student who said she was raped last August by Richard Liu, the chief executive officer of China's e-commerce retailer JD.com Inc, filed a civil lawsuit against him in a Minneapolis court on Tuesday, nearly four months after prosecutors declined to press criminal charges.

Liu, through his lawyers, maintained his innocence throughout the investigation of the woman's allegation.

The lawsuit in Hennepin County court seeks more than $50,000 (£38,290) in damages and names Richard Liu and JD.com as defendants. It identifies the student as Liu Jingyao.

Richard Liu's attorney, Jill Brisbois, could not be immediately reached for comment on the lawsuit. A spokesman for JD.com also could not be immediately reached for comment.