Shanghai woman sentenced for 'professional salary fraud' scheme

A Shanghai court has sentenced a woman, surnamed Tao, to three years in prison with a four-year probation for a series of "professional salary fraud" crimes. She was also fined 50,000 yuan ($6,912).

According to ThePaper.cn, Tao's scheme involved using fabricated educational credentials and work experience documents to secure high-paying positions at multiple small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) between November 2020 and her arrest.

Tao admitted to forging an MBA or EMBA degree and creating a false employment history portraying herself as a successful banker with experience at prominent financial institutions. These fabricated qualifications allowed her to gain employment at targeted companies.

Once hired, Tao would further deceive her employers by falsifying work records, reports, and client visits. She even went so far as to hire individuals to impersonate high-net-worth clients to create the illusion of productivity. Despite minimal work contributions, Tao managed to collect salaries.

During her trial, Tao confessed to holding positions at nine companies simultaneously, earning a combined monthly salary of approximately 30,000 yuan. To expedite her hiring process, she promised employers to secure client contracts within two weeks, resorting to hiring extras to play the role of clients.

Through these fraudulent means, Tao amassed over 290,000 yuan in wages from 31 different companies over a two-year period.

The Pudong New Area People's Court in Shanghai found Tao guilty of fraud. The court determined her actions constituted illegal possession due to the fabricated documents and concealment of truth, resulting in significant financial gains.