Homeless Chinese man scams women with fake wealth to fund luxury outings

A homeless man in China allegedly masqueraded as a wealthy nightclub owner and deceived at least five women over a period of ten days, using their money to enjoy luxury outings, purchase new clothes, and even obtain the latest smartphone. A homeless Chinese man posed as a rich nightclub owner and tricked multiple women into paying for luxury outings.(Representational image/Gemini AI generated) According to a report South China Morning Post, the elaborate scam came to light in August after a woman using the alias Liu Qian filed a complaint with police in Shanghai’s Putuo Drict. Woman realised money under her bed was fakeLiu told police that she had been hired the 36 year old suspect, identified only his surname Chen, who introduced himself as the owner of a popular nightclub. She said that she had acted as his local guide, taking him to dinner and entertainment venues, for which he had promised to pay her 3,500 yuan in cash. The next day, Chen arrived at her home carrying a black plastic bag. Inside, he displayed what appeared to be between 50,000 and 60,000 yuan in cash. He told her that the money had to be kept under her bed for feng shui purposes and claimed it would be more than enough to pay her and cover any upcoming expenses. Liu, who needed to pay her rent that day, intended to use a portion of the cash. However, after Chen stepped outside to “take a call,” she opened the bag and discovered it was filled with training banknotes that are typically used bank tellers for practice. Police discover pattern of luxury outings funded victimsAs reported SCMP, the police investigation uncovered that Chen had been repeatedly visiting high end establishments in Shanghai, each time in the company of a different woman. He allegedly made them pay for food, drinks, hotel rooms and taxi rides. The women agreed willingly, believing him to be wealthy after seeing bundles of what they believed to be real cash. the time they realised they had been misled, he had disappeared. Even the stylish clothing he wore and the latest smartphone he used had been purchased with money provided the women he targeted. Fake agent accounts and stacks of training notesTo attract victims, Chen reportedly used a secondary account to pose as an agent in online chat groups, posting advertisements for “high paying companionship” jobs. During meetings, he would present stacks of training banknotes with a few genuine notes placed on the top and bottom, creating the illusion of substantial wealth. He would then place the bundle in a fixed spot and promise to settle payments later. When he failed to secure a new target quickly, he slept on public park benches until morning before beginning his search again. Suspect formally arrestedInvestigators have found that Chen defrauded at least five women through this method. He has now been formally arrested on charges of fraud.