Chinese Man Sentenced To Death For Plotting Son’s Murder In Fake Car Crash To Claim Insurance Money
Father sentenced to death for plotting son’s murder for insurance money in China.
A chilling case from China has shocked the nation after authorities uncovered a father’s plan to murder his seven-year-old son in a staged car accident to claim insurance money. The Fujian Provincial Court detailed the gruesome plot this week, revealing how the man—identified only by his surname Zhang—collaborated with his cousin, a truck driver, to execute the crime in Sanming City in 2020, according to the South China Morning Post.
Investigations showed that Zhang had been facing severe marital discord and financial stress. Frequent quarrels with his wife over money and accusations of infidelity reportedly pushed him into planning an elaborate insurance fraud. He persuaded his cousin, whose employer’s truck was covered under two major insurance policies, to crash into his vehicle in a way that would appear accidental.
In October 2020, Zhang parked his car by the roadside with his seven-year-old son inside. After asking the boy to step out, the cousin deliberately drove the truck into the car, killing the child instantly. Zhang feigned shock and grief at the scene, hugging his son’s body and insisting it was a tragic accident. His cousin also pretended to be at fault, claiming he had been distracted by his phone, while both concealed their family connection from police.
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Authorities said Zhang later received 180,000 yuan (approximately USD 25,000) in insurance compensation, out of which he gave 30,000 yuan to his cousin. However, investigators grew suspicious when they discovered that the cousin had forged his driving qualification, invalidating the insurance claim. Further inquiries exposed inconsistencies in testimony and led a third person, identified as Ye, to reveal Zhang’s murder plan. Both Zhang and his cousin were arrested shortly afterward.
The court sentenced Zhang to death, with his cousin receiving a death sentence suspended for two years and a fine of 30,000 yuan. The case has triggered massive outrage and sorrow on Chinese social media, where related posts have been viewed over 32 million times. Many users condemned the brutal nature of the crime and called for harsher enforcement against insurance-related frauds.
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