Chinese game streamer and influencer Lan Zhanfei was reportedly robbed at knifepoint in a five-star hotel in Cape Town on Monday.
With an impressive following of over 24 million, the millionaire streamer’s harrowing experience has raised concerns about safety for international celebrities visiting the country.
According to reports from english.dotdotnews.com, Lan’s nightmare began when he was accosted by two male assailants, who pretended to be fans. The robbery unfolded over an agonising four to five hours, during which Lan was held at knifepoint by one assailant while the other acted as an accomplice.
In a chilling revelation, Lan disclosed that the attackers had allegedly plotted the incident six months in advance, initially attempting to get close to him at the airport. After their first attempt failed, they executed their plan during a nighttime ambush in his hotel room.
Lan credited his decision to choose an official taxi service as a stroke of luck that ultimately saved him from a more perilous situation.
The duo allegedly bribed airport and hotel staff to track his whereabouts, a tactic that highlights the lengths to which they had gone to orchestrate the crime.
The ordeal took a disturbing turn when the kidnappers demanded that Lan transfer money and apply for online loans, using additional intimidation tactics. They collected biological evidence such as fingerprints and hair in a bid to coerce him into silence, threatening to fabricate a rape case to deter him from reporting the crime, as per report on Guancha.
Lan’s status as an influencer and his reputation as the Number One Clockwork in the Chinese Server made him a tantalising target for criminals.
Police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala confirmed the case, stating, “This office confirms that Cape Town Central police registered a case of house robbery yesterday (December 8) following an incident that occurred at a hotel in Cape Town. The case was transferred to provincial serious violent crime detectives for further investigation,” as quoted on Cape Argus.
The Chinese Embassy in South Africa reminds travellers to strengthen security precautions during the holidays and to maintain a low profile and avoid displaying wealth, as reported on Guancha.
In an unexpected twist, Lan’s recent history has raised eyebrows. Following the incident, he went live on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok), appearing terrified and tied up, claiming he had been kidnapped.
This broadcast garnered 10 million views and sent his fans into a frenzied panic, leading to explosive discussions online.
But as speculation mounted about whether this was a genuine case of crime or a publicity stunt gone awry, various reports suggested that police discovered it was all staged within a prop warehouse, leaving many questioning the reality of his predicament.
Josh Gardner, CEO of Kung Fu Data, referenced this dramatic turn of events in a LinkedIn post, underscoring the significant fallout: “A boycott hashtag targeting both the actor and every brand linked to him hit half a million interactions. Sixty percent of his commercial deals vanished. His follower count doubled. More famous. Less usable,”
As a result, brands like L’Oréal, which had just signed Lan, also faced a swift decline in engagement in the wake of the incident.
First published by Cape {town} etc
Also see: ‘It pains me to be robbed of one of my prized possessions’ – Ms Manche on London robbery
