Emperor and Qing Dynasty Scammer Faces Prison Time in Shenzhen

It is a twist on an old scam: A gullible patsy loses a small fortune helping a former monarch recover his royal funds. But what happens when the deposed ruler claims to be the Beijing born and raised Qianlong Emperor who last ruled China in the 18th century?

Wan Jianmin, 55 years old, is on trial in Shenzhen this week for defrauding a Guangdong woman and her husband of over RMB 40 million.

According to court records, Wan was a serial liar who claimed at various times to be a Vietnam War veteran, an international currency mastermind, a protege of George Soros, the secret head of the Royal Bank of Canada, and cozy with China’s top military leaders.

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