A Chinese man has been executed for poisoning a billionaire gaming tycoon in a row linked to the Netflix adaptation of '3 Body Problem'. Xu Yao, who worked on the series, was convicted of using highly toxic substances to kill Lin Qi, founder of Shanghai-based Yoozoo Games, in December 2020.
Lin Qi, aged 39, died days after being poisoned. Xu, the former head of a Yoozoo subsidiary, had helped Lin secure the Netflix deal but was later sidelined, prompting the attack. He spent hundreds of thousands of yuan on lethal compounds, including alpha-amanitin from poisonous mushrooms, hiding them in probiotic pills, coffee capsules, and drinks shared with Lin and colleagues.
Several others fell ill but recovered. Xu was convicted in 2024 and executed on May 21, 2025. Lin's company confirmed the execution on Weibo, stating: 'Justice has ultimately been served.'
The 'Three-Body Problem' trilogy, by Chinese author Liu Cixin, has been translated into over 40 languages and adapted into a popular Netflix series released in 2024.
