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On October 31, the Chinese influencer known as "Brother Feng" posted on social media about a harrowing experience in Ukraine where he was nearly abducted by a group of local Chinese involved in organized crime.
Brother Feng, an extreme sports and paragliding enthusiast with a significant online following, detailed how he narrowly escaped a planned kidnapping attempt and has since safely exited Ukraine, now traveling through neighboring Moldova to Turkey with intentions to return to China.
Afterward, Brother Feng spoke with Sina News, confirming that the incident was genuine and that he had evaded the scam network after weeks of evasion and misdirection. He noted, "As soon as I return to China, I plan to report everything to the authorities. I can withstand any investigation – let people say what they will." Reflecting on his ordeal, he shared that this experience was even more perilous than being stranded in northern Myanmar, which he had previously endured. Brother Feng warned other Chinese nationals against traveling to Ukraine, stressing the dangers posed by this sophisticated scam ring targeting Chinese travelers.
Brother Feng explained that he initially entered Ukraine by land due to the country's closed airspace following the 2022 conflict. He flew to Moldova and traveled by road, eventually reaching Kyiv on October 20. Almost immediately, he caught the attention of the scam ring, orchestrated by a local Chinese individual named Zhang Xiaoqiang.
Local sources informed Brother Feng that Zhang had a notorious reputation for organizing criminal operations, including human smuggling and weapon trafficking. Brother Feng's stay in Kyiv saw him encountering numerous "trap" tactics aimed at ensnaring him, including one woman’s feigned interest in Chinese culture and other suspicious characters who tried to lure him into compromising situations.
The first encounter came at his hotel, where he was approached by a young Ukrainian woman calling herself Emily, who initiated friendly conversation. She claimed to admire Chinese culture and expressed frustration over her struggles in Kyiv. The two exchanged contact information, but Brother Feng grew suspicious. Later that night, Emily invited him to a bar where a group of three or four people, mostly Caucasian, began encouraging him to join them in a private room, hinting at more illicit activities. Fortunately, the bar manager stepped in and prevented further interaction, raising his suspicions even more.
In the following days, Emily continued to contact him, persistently inviting him to meet up. Brother Feng cautiously invited her to a public location with other people present, including two Chinese student followers, to avoid being alone with her. He recorded the interaction as a precaution, later declining her further invitations.
The scheme escalated on October 23, when Brother Feng encountered Zhang Xiaoqiang, who introduced himself as “Liu Tao.” Zhang claimed to be a cosmetic surgeon and self-proclaimed fan of Brother Feng’s online content. Seemingly eager to bond, Zhang made small talk and even offered to drive him to the city of Dnipro, where he purportedly had family in the pharmaceutical industry. Brother Feng, sensing something amiss, declined the offer, noticing that Zhang had ordered numerous dishes at the restaurant but hardly touched any of them.
Upon researching further, Brother Feng discovered that this was a well-organized criminal ring, notorious for luring Chinese nationals into scams involving extortion and kidnapping. Netizens soon joined the discussion, many sharing similar stories of encountering Zhang Xiaoqiang’s group in Ukraine.
"These people have been exposed many times," one user commented. "They'll pretend to be businessmen or offer services like visa processing, even ‘permanent residence cards’ in Ukraine." Another netizen revealed that Zhang was infamous in local Chinese circles for his repeated involvement in these scams, having previously extorted money from travelers with promises of business or residency assistance.
Past victims of this network have come forward as well. In 2022, a Chinese businessman reportedly lost $90,000 to the group while seeking assistance to relocate Chinese citizens to Poland, a service the scammers promised but never delivered. In August of this year, another influencer was swindled out of $40,000, subsequently sharing his story on social media and exposing several members of the ring, including Zhang.
Once Brother Feng confirmed that he was being targeted, he decided to evade the group using calculated diversions. He informed Emily and Zhang that he was heading to Dnipro by bus, but instead took a long-haul bus to Kharkiv. Moving strategically, he traveled from Kharkiv to Dnipro, and finally to the port city of Odesa, where he exited Ukraine into Moldova.
Brother Feng recounted his ordeal, explaining his strategy for evading detection: "Local Chinese had already informed me that Zhang was arrested in August but was inexplicably released. The region is corrupt to an alarming extent, and I knew relying on local police might only escalate my risks."
As Brother Feng departed Ukraine, he finally felt secure enough to reflect on his experience, admitting it was more intense than previous encounters with crime syndicates. "Zhang and his group are relentless; they’ll go from scamming to kidnapping as circumstances allow. If they had succeeded, they would have demanded a ransom, maybe far more than $40,000, since they know I have resources."
However, Brother Feng noted that their tactics were not particularly sophisticated, describing them as "easy to detect with a little caution." He observed that Zhang’s demeanor was odd for someone posing as a "fan" – lacking basic familiarity with social media details and stumbling over his background. In contrast, Emily contradicted herself by first claiming her hometown was Chernobyl, then later insisting it was Dnipro to entice him into traveling with her.
Despite finally reaching safety, Zhang’s network continued to harass him with threatening messages, using details they had gathered during his stay. Brother Feng stated, “They tried to intimidate me, saying they had my records and conversations from the bar. But I was just having a drink; there’s nothing incriminating.”
Brother Feng’s story has garnered widespread attention on social media, with netizens both shocked and critical. One user commented, “This should be a wake-up call for anyone considering traveling in unstable regions; not every friendly face is genuine.” Another noted the exploitation of trust within Chinese communities abroad, adding, “It’s disgusting to see people from our own background setting up these traps.”
While Brother Feng successfully exposed the network, he also cautioned others. “Be wary of overly friendly locals offering favors, from car rides to exclusive invites. What seems like goodwill may conceal a trap.”
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