Li Yanlin, 46, a spa employee, was sentenced to 4 years and 4 months in prison late last May for disclosing personal information and blackmailing her ex-boyfriend, following a brief affair.

The judge condemned her act of publicizing the affair online and demanding such a large sum as "despicable", stating it left the victim in fear. "Clearly, the defendant was only targeting the victim's money," the court stated. Li denied the charges throughout the trial.

According to court records, the two met and had a brief relationship in 2021, which ended in early 2022. During their relationship, the man provided financial support to Li on multiple occasions, including 800,000 HKD to pay off her debts and a monthly allowance of 40,000 HKD. Afterward, Li demanded a Porsche, but her lover blocked her communication and ended the relationship. The man testified that he began to feel like an "ATM". Before their breakup, Li messaged, "You will bear all the consequences yourself".

In 5/2022, a 10-second video containing intimate photos of the two was posted on YouTube, along with the victim's full name in Chinese and English. When the man met Li to request the video's removal, she claimed to possess more personal information, including his home address, and demanded 600,000 HKD. The victim agreed to pay in installments and simultaneously created a confidentiality agreement to prevent further dissemination of information.

However, just one month later, Li posted a second video with similar content and raised her demand to 2 million HKD. Even though the victim continued to transfer money, two more videos were still posted. According to the judge, even after receiving approximately one million HKD, Li continued to use personal data to manipulate and pressure the victim.

"This behavior shows that the defendant did not act impulsively but had calculated and planned revenge," the court observed.

Hai Thu (According to SCMP)