Chinese man detained for spreading false hotel gambling rumour

February 12, 2025

Chinese man detained for spreading false hotel gambling rumour

A man from China’s Anhui province was detained for five days after falsely claiming that a new hotel in Sanya would begin gambling operations in 2028.

As per mainland Chinese media, the 44-year-old unemployed man used a photograph of a construction site for the hotel—accompanied by misleading text—to spread the rumour online.

The incident came to light on 22 January when public security officers in the coastal city came across the false information during an online patrol. Local media reports stated that the suspect admitted to spreading the false news to attract attention and gain social media followers.

Investigations revealed that his photograph depicted five concrete structures at a duty-free entertainment complex still under construction. Citing a representative from the hotel, police confirmed that the establishment would not engage in any illegal gambling activities once operational.

The suspect later told investigators that his motivation was to increase his online visibility.

In yet another incident, as many as 21 Chinese nationals involved in illegal online gambling and financial fraud in Myanmar’s northern Shan State were arrested. A total of 102 individuals, including 48 Chinese nationals, 18 Vietnamese females, and 34 Myanmar nationals, were arrested from 5 February to 9 February in the area.