Today marks China Tourism Day, a time when many families plan trips or enroll their children in unique educational programs. However, if someone claimed that for a few hundred dollars, a child could meet and take photos with Elon Musk in Shanghai, or even converse with global tech leaders, would that sound like an incredible opportunity? A recent case concluded by the Shanghai Baoshan District People's Procuratorate reveals that such a "high-end event" was, in fact, an elaborate scam. The court has now issued its first-instance judgment in the case.
The story begins in December 2024. Zhu and Zhang, both addicted to online gambling, found themselves in dire financial straits. At their lowest point, they had only 6 yuan left and relied on odd jobs to get by. Earning money through part-time work was too slow to feed their gambling habits, so Zhu devised a scheme to make quick money. He proposed creating a fake event called the "Musk Shanghai Youth Meetup," falsely claiming that Elon Musk and other prominent figures would attend in person on March 22, 2025.
The two conspirators, fully aware that their company lacked any ticketing agency qualifications and had never received confirmation from any guest, proceeded with the plan. Zhu posted self-made event posters and schedules on his Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) account, along with contact information to attract participants. Inquiries soon poured in—from parents hoping their children could shake hands with a world-class tech leader to business representatives seeking partnership opportunities.
Zhu and Zhang were prepared with a script: "We are the organizers," "Photos with every guest are possible," and similar promises convinced many to sign up. They charged registration fees based on VIP tiers, ranging from $200 to $2,000. One victim, Mr. Sun, who works in the commercial satellite sector, registered for the event. Zhu promised him a speaking slot on stage and an in-depth discussion, leading Mr. Sun to immediately transfer over 100,000 yuan. Seeing him as a "big client," Zhu then dangled the bait of "negotiating with Musk's team," swindling an additional 70,000-plus yuan. To bolster credibility, Zhu even fabricated chat logs with the so-called "Musk team."
Mr. Sun grew suspicious and forwarded the screenshots to Tesla's official email for verification. The company explicitly replied that Musk never sold event tickets and had no plans for any meetings in Shanghai. Confronted by Mr. Sun, Zhu admitted that all the registration fees had been funneled into cryptocurrency and online gambling, resulting in total losses with no money left for refunds.
As the scam unraveled, the duo posted a notice on March 16, 2025, announcing the event's postponement. However, with refunds迟迟未到, multiple victims filed police reports. Upon investigation, Zhu and Zhang were found to have defrauded victims of over 830,000 yuan, all of which was squandered. On October 14, 2025, the Shanghai Baoshan District People's Procuratorate indicted both individuals on fraud charges. On May 13, 2026, the court sentenced Zhu to ten years and six months in prison, along with a 100,000 yuan fine, and sentenced Zhang to eight years and six months in prison, plus an 80,000 yuan fine.
Prosecutors warn that online information can be deceptive. When encountering promotions for various "high-end events" or "celebrity meetups," it is crucial to verify details through official channels and avoid trusting information released by individuals.
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