In a shocking turn of events, a former executive in China has been sentenced to death for the murder of Lin Qi, the founder of a high-profile gaming company, in 2020. The China media reported that Xu Yao, the ex-executive, poisoned Lin Qi’s food in December 2020 following a professional dispute, as revealed by the Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court.
The victim, Lin Qi, was a prominent figure in the gaming industry, known for his association with Yoozoo, a company that owns the film rights to “The Three-Body Problem,” a renowned Chinese science fiction trilogy. Notably, Yoozoo had granted Netflix the rights to produce an adaptation of the trilogy in 2020, with Lin serving as the executive producer on the series, which was being developed by ‘Game of Thrones’ creators David Benioff and DB Weiss.
The court disclosed that Xu Yao’s actions also left four other individuals seriously ill after poisoning beverages in the office between September and December 2020, due to disputes with two of them. Reports from a Chinese finance publication, Caixin, detailed that Lin was exposed to a cocktail of up to five different poisons, indicating the deliberate and premeditated nature of the attack.
It was revealed that Xu Yao had established his own laboratory in Shanghai to test the efficacy of the poisons against Lin, as reported by Caixin. Despite initial reports of Lin’s stable condition following the poisoning, he tragically passed away nine days later, despite extensive efforts including 40 litres of blood transfusions.
Lin’s untimely death sent shockwaves through China’s technology and gaming communities, with officials citing professional jealousy as the primary motive behind this heinous crime. The case serves as a stark reminder of the complex dynamics and intense competition within the corporate world, highlighting the lengths to which individuals may go in pursuit of their ambitions.
The sentencing of Xu Yao to death underscores the gravity of the offense and sends a strong message regarding the consequences of resorting to such extreme measures in settling disputes. The incident has prompted discussions on workplace safety, corporate rivalries, and the need for stringent measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Sources By Agencies
