Zhao Wei’s legal team released a statement refuting what they called “false and baseless” reports circulating online.
Through her lawyers in Anhui province, Zhao addressed an article published by an online media outlet that falsely claimed she and her ex-husband Huang Youlong were secretly linked to Xia Kailun’s criminal case. The post included speculative remarks such as, “Though there’s no direct evidence Zhao Wei committed fraud online, her former marriage to Huang Youlong—whose business interests were deeply intertwined with hers—makes it hard to separate the two,” and even implied she was involved in illegal money laundering.
Zhao’s attorney dismissed the accusations as completely unfounded and defamatory, emphasizing that the content had severely damaged her reputation and caused significant emotional distress.
Her legal team has demanded the website’s owners remove the article immediately and strengthen editorial oversight to prevent future occurrences. Zhao Wei also stated she would seek legal protection and pursue action if the request is ignored.
Previously, on November 14, Chinese media outlet QQ reported that Xia Kailun (originally named Xia Zhijiang) was arrested in Thailand and returned to China for leading one of the most notorious cross-border criminal operations in recent years. His charges include illegal gambling, telecom fraud, human trafficking, and organ trade, all allegedly conducted through a vast network operating from Myanmar’s infamous KK Park.
Xia is accused of establishing and managing 239 illegal gambling websites, amassing 2.77 trillion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion USD) from his illicit businesses. His criminal empire spanned across Southeast Asia, exploiting hundreds of victims and reaping enormous profits.
According to 163, Xia was born in 1982 in a poor village in Shaodong, Hunan, China. Dropping out of school at 14, he migrated to Guilin and took on over 20 odd jobs within a year from dishwashing to car washing. In 2000, lured by friends, he entered the underworld of gambling scams in the Philippines and eventually expanded his operation across Southeast Asia, climbing the ranks to become a criminal kingpin.
Chinese police began targeting Xia in 2012, issuing a warrant after dismantling part of his network. But he managed to escape to the Philippines and later to Cambodia, where he obtained citizenship and changed his name to Xia Kailun in an attempt to avoid law enforcement.
Under his new identity, Xia relocated to Myawaddy, Myanmar, where he ran a large-scale scam compound within KK Park widely known as a base for telecom and human trafficking crimes. Despite years of pursuit, it wasn’t until recently that authorities were able to capture him in Thailand and bring him back to face justice in China.
The case continues to send shockwaves across Chinese media, not only because of the sheer scale of the criminal operation, but also due to Xia’s link to Zhao Wei, through her ex-husband Huang Youlong. Public interest remains high as Chinese authorities prepare to prosecute one of the most elusive and dangerous figures in the region’s underground criminal world.
Sources: kenh14, vne
You must be logged in to post a comment.