Xu Yao was executed on May 21 for poisoning Lin Qi, the billionaire founder of Yoozoo Games who held film adaptation rights to "The Three-Body Problem," CBS News reported. The case, which concluded more than five years after the December 2020 murder, illustrates China's approach to white-collar crime enforcement and the swift finality of its criminal justice system.
The murder stemmed from professional conflict. Xu, who helped his superior secure the Netflix adaptation deal, was subsequently sidelined by Lin, according to court documents. In response, Xu purchased highly toxic alpha-amanitin derived from poisonous mushrooms, spending hundreds of thousands of yuan on substances acquired online.
The execution method was calculated and prolonged. Xu disguised the poisons as probiotic pills and concealed them in coffee capsules, water containers, and whiskey bottles, distributing them to Lin and other employees. Local media reported Lin became ill from poisoned tea. He was hospitalized in December 2020 and died days later at age 39. Several other employees became sick but recovered.
The Shanghai High People's Court convicted Xu in 2024, and the execution followed in May 2026. Yoozoo Games confirmed the outcome in a statement: "Justice has ultimately been served." The timeline reflects China's criminal justice system, which operates with a conviction rate exceeding 99 percent and allows limited appeals in capital cases.
In China, as across Asia, long-term strategic thinking guides policy—what appears reactive is often planned. The execution sends a signal about enforcement of laws against white-collar criminals who resort to violence. While business disputes and corporate conflicts are common in China's competitive private sector, the state reserves harsh penalties for those who cross into criminal violence, particularly against high-profile figures.
