According to reports from multiple media outlets in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, on-site police investigation records in the Philippines show that million-follower influencer “Athena Liya” (real name Kong Limei) was kidnapped and killed in the Philippines in 2023.
It should be noted that Chinese police and the Philippine government have not yet issued an official statement regarding Kong Limei’s death.
Public records show that Kong Limei was born in Jieyang, Guangdong, and was the third runner-up at the 2021 Miss World Macau regional competition. In April 2023, she posted a street-style video in the UK on her Douyin account, after which no further updates followed. Two months later, she posted her final update on the Xiaohongshu platform, with the account location showing Zhejiang.
In June 2023, Kong Limei was invited by her “close friend” of two years, Li Yifei (also known as Li Yifei), to travel to Manila, Philippines, under the pretense of an overseas photoshoot.
However, Li Yifei canceled her trip at the last minute, citing a sudden personal matter. After arriving in Manila alone, Kong Limei was immediately taken control of by a transnational kidnapping ring led by Liu Hanwen.Li Yifei subsequently deleted all her social media accounts and removed mutual friends, and is still on the run overseas.
Last month, the case resurfaced when Liu Hanwen was repatriated to China.
According to Philippine media, after taking control of Kong Limei, the ring posted a series of misleading updates on the victim’s social media accounts, including hints that she had accumulated massive gambling debts, in an effort to trick her family into paying an $800,000 ransom. But even after receiving the money, they killed her and dumped her body.
To evade police investigation, the group also spread false information online, including claims that she had been sold to a scam compound in Cambodia.
A Chinese national surnamed Sun, who has lived and done business in the Philippines for years, told media that the above reports carry high credibility. “Incidents like this are not uncommon in the Philippines.” Kong Limei’s name also appears on a victim list released by “Ningbo Public Security.”
The Philippines’ Gini coefficient has long remained above 0.45, and Chinese nationals, who are predominantly engaged in trade and retail businesses, have become high-priority targets for kidnapping rings. Local criminal groups have even formed specialized kidnapping “teams” that specifically target Chinese citizens.
Under the coordination of China’s Ministry of Public Security, on July 20, as a civilian airliner landed at Beijing Capital International Airport, Liu Hanwen, the primary suspect in the kidnapping and murder of Chinese citizens overseas, was handed over to Chinese police.
Liu Hanwen is also a suspect in another well-known kidnapping and murder case.
On June 20, 2024, Chinese citizen Xia, along with Chinese-American Sun, were introduced by “Li Na” (Chen Yuxuan) to travel to Manila, Philippines, to negotiate a medical business deal, after which they were kidnapped by a criminal gang. After the victims’ families paid a ransom of 3 million RMB, the two were still brutally killed on June 24, with their bodies discovered in Camarines Sur province in the southern Philippines.
This case exposed the risks of a black-market industry chain targeting Chinese executives of companies expanding overseas. After the incident, Philippine police identified eight suspects, including five foreigners and three Filipinos. “Li Na”was arrested in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2024.
At the time, public reports focused primarily on “medical device distributor Li Na,” but did not extensively cover Liu Hanwen. Currently, public sources have not yet disclosed more detailed background information about him.
Liu Hanwen fled to the United States shortly after the crime. According to reports, after meticulous investigation, the Beijing Public Security Bureau, under the coordination of the Ministry of Public Security, found that the criminal gang led by him had repeatedly committed serious crimes such as kidnapping and murder against Chinese citizens in the Philippines, involving multiple heinous cases with extremely severe consequences and extremely negative social impact.
The Ministry of Public Security attached great importance to the case, organized elite forces for a dedicated investigation, issued a Red Notice through Interpol, and conducted multiple rounds of case exchanges and evidence sharing with the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, making every effort to push for Liu’s arrest and repatriation. Based on the leads and evidence provided by the Chinese side, U.S. authorities successfully arrested him in October 2024 and recently repatriated him to China.
A relevant official from the Ministry of Public Security stated that the successful resolution of the series of kidnapping and murder cases represents the latest achievement in the implementation of the important consensus reached at the China-U.S. summit meeting by law enforcement agencies of both countries, and is another successful case of China and the U.S. jointly combating cross-border crime. Public security authorities resolutely safeguard the security interests of Chinese citizens — no matter where criminals are, if they commit crimes against Chinese citizens, Chinese police will crack down on them in accordance with the law without mercy and will pursue them to the end.
