China Executes Former Yoozoo Executive In Poisoning Case Linked To Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’
Taipei: Chinese authorities have carried out the execution of Xu Yao, a former executive at Shanghai-based Yoozoo Games, after he was convicted of poisoning billionaire entrepreneur Lin Qi in 2020. According to reports cited by AP, the case was tied to an internal professional dispute within the company.
Lin Qi was the founder of Yoozoo Games, the company that owned adaptation rights to the acclaimed science-fiction trilogy “The Three-Body Problem,” written by Chinese author Liu Cixin. The novels later inspired Netflix’s internationally successful series “3 Body Problem.”
Dispute Allegedly Triggered the Crime
Local media reports stated that Xu Yao became frustrated after allegedly being sidelined within the company shortly after helping secure the Netflix adaptation agreement. Xu had reportedly overseen operations related to the “Three-Body” intellectual property through a Yoozoo subsidiary.
Authorities said Xu purchased multiple toxic substances online, including alpha-amanitin, a deadly toxin associated with poisonous mushrooms. Investigators alleged that he disguised the poison in probiotic pills and also placed it in beverages including coffee, whiskey, and bottled water shared with Lin Qi and other employees.
Lin Qi Died in 2020
Lin Qi fell ill in December 2020 and later died in hospital at the age of 39. Several other employees reportedly became sick but survived. Xu Yao was detained shortly after the incident and later sentenced to death in 2024 by the Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court.
Chinese business outlet Yicai Global and other local media confirmed that Xu was executed on May 21, 2026. Yoozoo Games later acknowledged the development in a statement shared on Weibo, saying justice had ultimately been served.
‘The Three-Body Problem’ Became a Global Franchise
Liu Cixin’s “The Three-Body Problem” trilogy has been translated into more than 40 languages and became one of China’s most internationally recognized science-fiction works. The franchise expanded into television, gaming, and streaming adaptations, including Netflix’s “3 Body Problem,” released in 2024.
The books also played a significant role in the expansion of China’s science-fiction entertainment industry, influencing films, video games, publications, and exhibitions across the country.
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