China has brought to light a case of a woman who was unaware that her boyfriend was cheating on her and draining her bank account. A Shanghai court found a man guilty of fraud for defrauding his girlfriend of 2.6 million yuan (roughly Rs 3 crore) by posing as a doctor at a prestigious hospital. Zhang was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison; the court made the case public in May, but the specific dates of the crime were not disclosed.

In 2016, Zhang—who was working at a hotel—started his fraudulent plan after meeting Huang, an employee of a retail center. Zhang claimed to be a graduate of a famous medical school in China and an obstetrician-gynecologist at a reputed hospital in Shanghai during their six-year relationship. As a "successful professional," Zhang created a compelling persona, and Huang never questioned his account. About three months after their first meeting, they began dating.

He frequently stole money from Huang during this period under the pretext of investing in a house, but he really used it for debt repayment and gambling. Zhang used to make up reasons why he was busy at work whenever Huang wanted to pay him a visit. When Zhang continued to postpone giving Huang's family the money he had stolen from her, they started to voice worries about the relationship. After growing suspicious, Huang got in touch with the hospital to confirm Zhang's employment, only to discover that he wasn't employed there.

"While love is beautiful, one must also be wary of sweet traps," the prosecutor reportedly stated during the trial, according to court documents. Zhang received an 11-year prison sentence for cheating and fraud. After the case gained popularity on Chinese social media, Huang has received a lot of sympathy from users online.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Priyanka Pandey/MSM)