Man faces legal trouble after making fake wanted poster of himself because he was ‘bored’
How bored can you get? A man from China was detained after making a fake wanted poster of himself and posting it online because of boredom.
According to a report by South China Morning Post, the original poster (OP), surnamed Wang, posted an arrest order for himself on social media in November.
In the caption, he claimed he was Wang Yibo, a name of a famous Chinese actor and dancer. It further alleged that this person had extorted a company for 30 million yuan (approximately US$4 million or over P230 million) and possessed an illegal firearm.
“I am a native of Qinyuan county, Changzhi city, Shanxi province. I extorted 30 million yuan (US$4 million) from a company on November 10, 2024. I possess a submachine gun and 500 bullets. If you find me, you will be rewarded 30,000 yuan (US$4,000 or over P230,000),” he wrote in his post.
According to police reports, the post garnered 350,000 views within less than 24 hours, 2,500 likes, 80 comments, and 1,155 shares.
Local authorities immediately initiated an investigation after seeing the post, which led to his arrest just hours later.
After a thorough search, the police found that Wang did not own any illegal items like guns or ammunition and that he did not extort any company.
Wang has since confessed to making the fake arrest order because “he was feeling disheartened and bored with his life,” the report said.
It added that the police has imposed a “criminal coercive measure” on Wang where he was restricted from his freedom for a specified period due to making and spreading false information.
“The internet is not beyond the reach of the law. Fabricating a story and spreading it are both criminal acts. Anyone who concocts or circulates rumors will face judicial consequences,” the police stated regarding the case, per the report.
