Police in Chengdu have busted a criminal ring that used AI-generated images and videos to create fake millionaire bachelors, defrauding more than 50 single women over the age of 45. The suspects allegedly raked in over one million yuan by charging women for matchmaking services before their fabricated "male guests" vanished.

The scam began on June 23 when a local woman filed a complaint after paying a 2,000 yuan matchmaking fee to a company she discovered through a social media video. She received contact details for a potential partner, but he never answered her calls, and the company's staff went silent. Her report triggered an investigation.

When officers from the Xinyizhou police station checked the electronic contract, they found the company name, 四川晚禾禧堂婚恋服务公司, along with its organization code, were entirely fictitious. Further checks revealed a similarly named company operating in the area called 四川晚禾禧堂婚介服务公司, which raised immediate suspicion. A visit to the office showed no matchmakers or clients, but instead workstations for sales, video editing, and live-streaming staff.

Officers noticed that videos on the office computers matched exactly the "male guest" profiles sent to the victim. After contacting the company's owner, Wang Xin, who quickly refunded the woman's money, police were convinced this was no ordinary matchmaking agency. A full investigation was launched by the criminal investigation department.

The company began operating in October 2025, with a branch in Kunming, Yunnan province, running the same scheme under the name 云南晚金喜堂. The gang built a structured operation with separate teams for attracting clients, packaging fake profiles, sales, and after-service. Their social media campaigns used persuasive scripts to draw in women aged 40 to 80 seeking remarriage.

A professional editing team used AI to mass-produce fake images, videos, and life stories of well-off middle-aged men. The fraudsters even used voice changers to pose as eligible bachelors during live-streamed calls, fooling viewers into believing the fabricated personas were real. Once a woman showed interest, online "matchmakers" would move the conversation to WeChat to send over the fake profiles.

One profile described a 67-year-old "Li Ge" earning six million yuan a year, owning properties in both Hangzhou and Shanghai, and promising to pay bride prices and cover all living costs. Another profile for a "Mr. Liu" claimed he was worth 100 million yuan, with homes in Germany and Shanghai, and was willing to shoulder most household expenses. These enticing details were used to push women into paying a "matching service fee" after being told the man was eager to meet them.

The photos were all generated by AI, and the credentials and incomes were completely fabricated. In some cases, the same AI-generated face was used as "Mr. Li" for one victim and "Mr. Wang" for another. After the fee was paid, a designated team member would chat with the victim through a fake account before eventually disappearing, usually citing a "personality mismatch."

To avoid detection, the mastermind, Wang Xin, ran the sales and after-service teams from Kunming, while the editing and live-streaming operations were based in Chengdu. On July 2, police from both provinces moved in simultaneously, arresting 28 suspects. At the moment of arrest, the gang was still using AI-generated male images for a live broadcast. Officers seized a large number of persuasive scripts and carefully crafted scenarios.

In less than a year, the gang defrauded more than 50 single women over 45, accumulating over one million yuan in illicit earnings. Notably, the main suspects are all from the "post-90s" generation, with some even born after 2000, demonstrating a high level of familiarity with AI technology that they misused for criminal activities. The case is still under further investigation.