Police in Jiangxi province have launched an investigation into Wang Lin, a self-proclaimed master of qigong and Taoist philosophy, on suspicion of illegal possession of firearms, the Beijing News reported on Monday.

The investigation was launched by the public security bureau of Luxi county on Aug 1 after Wang's former apprentice, Zou Yong, disclosed in an interview with a video website that Wang had possessed a rifle unlawfully and once used it to shoot birds.

According to Criminal Law, those unlawfully possessing guns may face imprisonment of up to seven years in serious circumstances.

Wang Lin, who became famous around the 1990s, has mostly kept a low profile in recent years. However, he returned to the spotlight last month after photos were released showing him meeting with several famous people. These included Ma Yun, the billionaire founder and ex-CEO of the Alibaba Group, Zhao Wei, a famous actress, and Jet Li, a famous kung fu actor.

Many people expressed shock that such successful entrepreneurs and actors could fall prey to an alleged charlatan like Wang.

The newspaper also reported late last month that Wang had been accused of fraud and could face punishment for allegedly practicing medicine without a permit.

Since the controversy started in July, Wang Lin is reported to have moved to Hong Kong, where he has residency.