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Two men in Beijing face charges for allegedly using a glass shard scheme to extort the popular Haidilao hotpot chain. Between 2022 and 2023, the suspects, identified as Zhu and Zhao, carried out six separate incidents, netting over ¥23,000 in total, according to the Tongzhou District police.
In one instance, security footage revealed Zhu deliberately cutting the inside of his mouth with a pre-prepared glass shard during a meal. With blood streaming from his mouth, he claimed to have bitten into glass while eating a beef meatball. Zhu then spat the meatball and glass onto his plate and called a waiter to complain.
The investigation found that Zhu and Zhao orchestrated three of the incidents together, while Zhu committed three additional acts alone. Zhu reportedly extorted about ¥15,000 from Haidilao, while Zhao obtained roughly ¥8,000. Their actions prompted the Tongzhou District People’s Procuratorate to formally charge them with extortion.
Haidilao, a well-known hotpot chain in China, is praised for its customer service, which the suspects appeared to exploit. The company is known to offer swift compensation for customer grievances, which likely encouraged the extortion scheme.
The case sparked heated discussions online. Many netizens criticized the suspects for exploiting a company’s goodwill and tarnishing trust between businesses and customers.
One commenter wrote: "This kind of behavior is appalling. It's a betrayal of a company that prioritizes customer satisfaction. Punishment should be severe to deter others." Another quipped: "He must have bitten off more than he could chew—literally and legally!"
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