Bogus Chinese graft-busters created fake interrogation room in abandoned mall to con victims out of money
Four men in China’s Heilongjiang province set themselves up as bogus graft-busters – and even created a fake interrogation room – to con money out of frightened officials.
The province’s local newspaper Shenghuo Bao reported on Monday that police in the city of Suihua had arrested three of the four suspects for allegedly racketeering on September 28. One remains at large.
The three suspects reportedly confessed they had spent three months and more than 200,000 yuan (HK$243,000) to build a fake interrogation room in an abandoned mall.
Their scheme backfired after they interrogated the head of the local Bureau of Agricultural Reclamation, Zhang Wei, in late August.
In August, Zhang had been dragged out of his apartment and shoved into a car with his head covered. His wife called police immediately before the men abducted her too. Both were then taken to the “interrogation room”.
After hours of interrogation, the men demanded 400,000 yuan to settle the case.
Police later tracked the men through a neighbour of Zhang’s. Two were arrested, one turned himself in.