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Chinese homeless man fakes wealth, hires women for companionship, lives luxury life

Chen regularly visits upscale venues, always with different women, whom he has convinced to cover all expenses

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A homeless man in China impersonated a wealthy person, engaging five women for companionship and visiting high-end shops and restaurants without paying. Photo: Shutterstock/Baidu
Yating Yangin Beijing

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 women paid for his expensive shopping and other expenses willingly after being misled by a large stack of cash that appeared genuine. Photo: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
The women paid for his expensive shopping and other expenses willingly after being misled by a large stack of cash that appeared genuine. Photo: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

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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