A homeless Chinese man deceived others by posing as a wealthy individual and, over a span of 10 days, managed to “hire” five women for companionship, using their money to fund visits to high-end establishments, buy new clothes, and even acquire the latest smartphone.
The scam came to light in August when police in Putuo District, Shanghai, received a report from a woman using the alias Liu Qian.
She claimed that she had been swindled by a 36-year-old man surnamed Chen, who pretended to be a nightclub owner.
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Liu recounted that, the day before, she had acted as a local guide, accompanying Chen to dinner and later to various entertainment venues. He had promised to pay her 3,500 yuan (US$500) in cash.
The following day, Chen arrived at Liu’s home carrying a black plastic bag, which he opened to reveal around 50,000 to 60,000 yuan (US$7,000 – US$8,500) in cash.
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