Chinese man posed as wealthy businessman to con multiple wives out of $280,000, jailed for 13 years

Hindustan Times

a day ago

A 39-year-old man in China has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for defrauding more than 20 individuals, including five of his ex-wives, out of nearly two million yuan (approximately US$280,000). A Chinese man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for defrauding 20 people, including five of his ex-wives, by pretending to be a wealthy businessman.(Representational image/Unsplash)
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According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the man, identified by his surname Liu, was convicted by a court in Ziyang, located in Sichuan province in southwestern China. He was found guilty of running a prolonged fraud scheme that lasted over a decade. As per state broadcaster CCTV, cited by SCMP, Liu married six women between 2009 and 2024. He later divorced all of them, and the last five, along with their families, fell prey to his elaborate scam.
A calculated con
Liu presented himself as a successful entrepreneur, frequently posting photos on social media with luxury cars that he had rented. His charm and apparent wealth attracted several women, whom he manipulated into lending him large sums of money. His excuses included paying staff salaries, expanding his toy business, and purchasing property.
In one instance, Liu forged a medical report claiming his mother was seriously ill, in order to convince a girlfriend to lend him money. When asked to repay, he routinely stalled, telling victims he needed more time.
One ex-wife recalled, 'He is good at comforting girls and he has a good temperament. That is why I was attracted to him although I knew he had divorced.' Another said, 'The first impression Liu left for me was that he was wealthy and honest. I did not expect that he was a fraudster. I regret lending him more than 400,000 yuan.'
Trail of deceit
In 2021, Liu was already labelled a defaulter after failing to return 320,000 yuan to a former girlfriend who sued him. Despite this, he continued borrowing from others, never intending to repay. 'His actions obviously had the purpose of illegal possession, so he has constituted the crime of fraud,' a police officer was quoted as saying.
His web of lies unravelled in late 2023 when his sixth wife, Xiaolu, reported him to the police. They had married in June that year, only two weeks after meeting. Liu soon persuaded her to quit her job, mortgage her flat, and borrow money from online lenders and her family—none of which he returned.
Xiaolu told officers, 'I was cheated by him and have lost my flat and my job and became pregnant. I am under a big amount of debt because of him. I really would like to commit suicide,'
During interrogation, Liu admitted to his crimes, stating, 'I want to seek revenge on women. They are not trustworthy and too materialistic.'