China Executes Former Executive Who Poisoned '3 Body Problem' Producer
Xu Yao was sentenced to death in early 2024 for the retaliatory poisoning of billionaire Lin Qi following a professional dispute.
Primary source: BBC World News. Full source links and update notes are below.
Fast summary
Start here
- Chinese authorities carried out the execution of Xu Yao on May 21, as confirmed by Yoozoo Games this week.
- Xu, a former lawyer, poisoned Lin Qi in 2020 using lethal substances disguised as probiotic pills.
- The murder was motivated by a fallout over business operations involving the '3 Body Problem' science fiction franchise.
What happened
China has executed Xu Yao, a former executive at Yoozoo Games, for the 2020 murder of the company's founder, Lin Qi. The execution follows a 2024 conviction by the Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court, which characterized Xu's poisoning plot as "extremely despicable."
What's new in this update
While the execution reportedly took place on May 21, Yoozoo Games publicly confirmed the development on Tuesday. In an official statement, the company noted that "justice has ultimately been served" and expressed continued gratitude for the judicial process on behalf of the late founder's family and colleagues.
Key details
Xu carried out the murder by providing Lin with lethal substances disguised as probiotic supplements. Lin was hospitalized in December 2020 after feeling unwell and died nine days later at the age of 39. At the time, Lin was a prominent figure in the Chinese tech sector with a net worth estimated at roughly $941 million. The poisoning plot also reportedly caused illness in several other associates.
Background and context
Lin Qi founded Yoozoo Games, the developer of the 'Game of Thrones: Winter Is Coming' strategy game. In 2018, he appointed Xu to lead Three-Body Universe, a subsidiary tasked with managing projects related to Liu Cixin's '3 Body Problem' trilogy. Relations between the two soured in 2020 when Lin decided to sideline Xu by placing other executives in charge of business operations, leading to the retaliatory poisoning.
What to watch next
The execution marks the legal conclusion of a case that captivated both the gaming industry and global fans of the '3 Body Problem' franchise. The Netflix adaptation of the series, on which Lin is posthumously credited as an executive producer, remains one of the streaming platform's most-watched shows.
Why this matters
The case involves the murder of a prominent billionaire whose company secured the global rights for one of China's most successful cultural exports.
Reader context
This story belongs to Northstar Herald's world coverage, with related entities including China, Yoozoo Games, 3 Body Problem, Lin Qi. The report is based on BBC World News source material.
Related coverage
Why it matters
The case involves the murder of a prominent billionaire whose company secured the global rights for one of China's most successful cultural exports.
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