A 30-year-old Chinese woman, known by her surname Xie, was apprehended in Thailand after fleeing her home country for defrauding victims of more than 1.5 million yuan (US$210,000). Xie, who underwent facial plastic surgery to alter her appearance, is currently under investigation by Thai authorities and may face extradition to China.
Xie was arrested on October 7 after Thai Immigration Police received a tip-off from local residents in Bangkok, where she had been living in a flat. Residents reported suspicious behavior, noting that Xie often covered her face with a mask, raising concerns that she might be an illegal immigrant.
When immigration officers approached her as she picked up a food delivery, they discovered she had overstayed her 15-day visa by more than 650 days. Xie had entered Thailand in late 2022 on a visa-on-arrival for tourism purposes.
During questioning, Xie claimed she had once worked as a flight attendant for a well-known airline. However, Thai authorities soon uncovered that she was wanted under an Interpol Blue Notice for fraud. Between 2016 and 2019, Xie allegedly scammed six victims out of 1.52 million yuan, promising to secure them positions as flight attendants with major airlines.
Xie used part of the fraudulent funds to undergo plastic surgery before fleeing to Thailand. Her younger cousin, Wu, who was one of the victims, revealed that Xie had created a glamorous online persona, portraying herself as a wealthy flight attendant. Wu lent Xie 52,000 yuan (US$7,300), but after retrieving only a portion of the money, she discovered that Xie was living off fraudulent activities.
Xie will be punished under Thai law for overstaying her visa and will be deported to China to face further legal proceedings.
Her case has drawn significant attention on Chinese social media, with users commenting on her appearance post-surgery and praising the police for bringing her to justice.
