Chinese woman steals $2.4 million for beauty treatment, luxurious lifestyle

A woman in Shanghai has been indicted for embezzling nearly 17 million yuan (approximately US$2.4 million) from her employer to fund a lavish lifestyle that included regular cosmetic surgeries, luxury goods, and gambling, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The 41-year-old woman, who used the alias Wang Jing, worked as a cashier for a flower and gardening services company in Shanghai, founded in 2018 by an individual surnamed Xu. In her modest role, Wang earned 8,000



yuan (US$1,100) per month but secretly funnelled company funds to support a dramatically different life.

Wang underwent anti-ageing and cosmetic procedures four times a year over a six-year period, spending 300,000 yuan (US$42,000) per session—totaling 1.2 million yuan annually. She also curated a wealthy persona on social media, spending nearly two million yuan (US$278,000) a year on luxury goods, including limited-edition crocodile skin handbags and diamond bracelets worth over 100,000 yuan.