Four Charged Over ‘Blood Slave’ Hoax
Four Chinese nationals have been charged over involvement in a fraudulent story that a man had been held captive and had blood drained from his body. Photo from AKP
- By Teng Yalirozy
- March 4, 2022 2:56 PM
Chinese plot linked to illegal migrant
PHNOM PENH--Four Chinese nationals have been charged over involvement in a fraudulent story that a man had been held captive and had blood drained from his body.
The four were charged on Thursday by the Preah Sihanouk Provincial court with incitement and making a false declaration. They have been detained at the Preah Sihanouk Prison.
Court spokesman Ly Chandara said Li Ya Yuan Lun, Chen Bao Rong, Tan Xiao Mei and Chen Xiao Hua had been charged under article 496 and 633 of the Criminal Code.
Li Ya Yuan Lun, 31, has also been charged with unlawful entry to Cambodia under article 28 of the Immigration Law. Chen Bao Rong, 49, and Chen Xiao Hua, 41, have also been charged with unlawful interference in the performance of public functions and unlawful use of professional credentials.
Last month, Li Ya Yuan Lun claimed to have had his blood harvested, sold and had been used as “blood slave” in Cambodia. The General Commission of the National Police, the highest police unit in Cambodia, immediately went to investigate.
The Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh acknowledged the case in a Feb. 16 statement, saying the victim was lured by “false job advertisements” and noted that doctors had reported the victim had lost large amounts of blood.
However, a spokesman for the National Police on Feb.28 issued a statement that the case was fabricated by Li Ya Yuan Lun.
He said Li Ya Yuan Lun had been smuggled into Cambodia illegally. When he became ill, he contacted three people, including one woman, Tan Xiao Mei, to help find a way to evade the authorities.
Normally, Cambodian authorities take action against foreigners who unlawfully enter the country.
The four came up with a way for Li Ya Yuan Lun to make up a story that he had been imprisoned and had lot of blood sucked from him.
The police spokesman said the fabrication confused the public and affected the Cambodian social environment.
“We call on news institutions and social media to please edit their contents to avoid public confusion and scare national and international tourists,” the police said.
The Chinese Embassy issued another statement calling on Chinese people in Cambodia not to fabricate rumors and deceive the public.
A Chinese embassy spokesman called on its citizens to abide by Cambodian law. He said the embassy will cooperate with Cambodian authorities to crack down on fraud, cybercrime and trafficking committed by Chinese citizens.
Before his arrest, Li Ya Yuan Lun was treated at a hospital in Phnom Penh. While in hospital, he told VOD that he had worked as a security guard in China and arrived in Cambodia in June 2021.
His first stop was China Town in Sihanoukville. Later, a Chinese embassy spokesman said that after arriving in Cambodia, Li Ya Yuan Lun had a serious liver disease and contacted an association for help.
According to VOD, the Chinese man's leg was numb from beatings and electric shocks during his detention, and in August, his blood was drained because he refused to do what his captors wanted him to do.
