CHINA: A man in northwest China has been sentenced to over eight years in prison after conning three women out of a staggering 540,000 yuan (approximately $75,000).
The funds were used to create a false image of wealth and luxury, which he exploited to present himself as a “diamond bachelor” while showering his “real girlfriend” with gifts.
Maintaining an illusion of wealth for love?
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Wang, from Wugong County in Shaanxi province, was arrested after an investigation revealed he had duped several women into lending him large sums of money under pretences.
Police uncovered that Wang, who had been dating one of the victims, had fabricated multiple reasons for needing financial assistance.
These included claiming his sister had cancer that he needed funds for an electric bike and mobile phone, and even alleging he required money for medical bills related to his kidney issues.
When one of the women demanded repayment, Wang initially promised to return the money but repeatedly delayed payment with new excuses.
Eventually, he cut off all contact, prompting the woman to report the scam to authorities. It was later discovered that two other women, both in their 30s and similarly single or divorced, had also fallen victim to Wang’s scheme.
Wang had pretended to be a successful businessman, despite being a low-income migrant worker without a car or home. He used the stolen money to buy luxury gifts and take his actual girlfriend, surnamed Cheng, on lavish trips.
Wang had met Cheng before targeting the other women online, and he admitted that he feared she would look down on him due to his impoverished background.
He resorted to scamming the three women to maintain the illusion of wealth.
Investigators found that some of the victims, in a desperate bid to help Wang, had drained their savings and even borrowed money from relatives and online lenders.
This left them in severe financial distress.
Will an apologetic letter be enough?
In January, a local court sentenced Wang to eight years and three months in prison in addition to a fine of 50,000 yuan (roughly $6,900). He also wrote an apology letter to his victims, pledging to repay the stolen money once released.
The Shaanxi Provincial Women’s Association later highlighted the case as part of a legal awareness campaign focused on protecting women from such scams.
This case is one of many in mainland China involving love scams, where online relationships for financial gain deceive victims.
In a similar case last year, a man in Anhui province was arrested after stealing three million yuan ($420,000) from eight women he met through online dating platforms.
