Xie’s case has ignited debate on Chinese social media, with many shocked by her plastic surgery transformation. - Photo: Weixin
BEIJING: A Chinese woman who defrauded more than 1.5 million yuan (US$210,000) underwent plastic surgery and fled to Thailand. She is currently under investigation by Thai police and may face back to the mainland.
She was apprehended after the Thai Immigration Police received a tip-off.
Local residents reported that the 30-year-old woman, known by her surname Xie, was living in a flat in Bangkok and was often seen covering her face and wearing a mask, raising suspicions that she might be an illegal immigrant.
In response, immigration officers visited her flat and approached her as she came downstairs to pick up a food delivery, requesting to check her passport.
It was discovered that Xie entered Thailand in late 2022 with a visa-on-arrival, allowing her a 15-day stay for tourism. However, she has overstayed her visa by more than 650 days. As a result, authorities arrested her on October 7.
During the investigation, Xie claimed to have been a flight attendant for a well-known airline before her dismissal. However, Thai police later uncovered that she was wanted under an Interpol Blue Notice.
Between 2016 and 2019, she allegedly defrauded six victims of 1.52 million yuan by promising to secure them flight attendant positions with major airlines.
Reports suggest she used part of the money to undergo facial plastic surgery before fleeing to Thailand.
Xie was suspected of fraud as early as January 2014. Her younger cousin, known by the surname Wu, among the accusers, revealed to Red Star News that Xie had created an online persona as a wealthy flight attendant, frequently sharing photos from various overseas destinations.
In 2018, Xie contacted Wu, borrowing 52,000 yuan (US$7,300) and claiming she needed the funds to assist someone in purchasing a watch in Japan. She promised to reward Wu with 5,000 yuan after the deal.
Wu managed to recover 17,000 yuan; however, despite numerous requests, Xie never returned the remainder.
After conducting some online research, Wu discovered that Xie had long ceased working as a flight attendant and was instead living off fraudulent activities.
The Thai Immigration Bureau Division stated that Xie would be punished according to Thai law for overstaying her visa and would subsequently be deported back to China, as reported by Red Star News.
Her case has sparked discussions on Chinese social media, with many expressing astonishment at her before-and-after plastic surgery photos.
“Why do I feel like she looks worse after the surgery? It’s as if she is fleeing from a botched job,” one person quipped.
Others praised the outcome, stating: “No matter how clever the disguise, you cannot escape the law! Kudos to the police!”
In another shocking case from China, Lao Rongzhi, wanted for multiple murders, evaded capture for 20 years by using false identities and undergoing multiple plastic surgeries.
She was finally apprehended in southeastern China’s Fujian province in 2019 and was executed in December last year. - South China Morning Post/ANN
