China Executes Man for Fatally Poisoning Billionaire Linked to Netflix's '3 Body Problem'

A man in China, Xu Yao, has been executed for the fatal poisoning of billionaire gaming tycoon Lin Qi, who was known for his significant role in bringing the popular "3 Body Problem" sci-fi trilogy to Netflix. Lin Qi, the founder of Yoozoo Games, which held the adaptation rights for the series, died on Christmas Day in 2020 at the age of 39 after being poisoned earlier that month. Xu, a former executive at a Yoozoo Games subsidiary, was convicted in 2024 and executed on May 21, 2026.

The motive behind the murder reportedly stemmed from a professional dispute. Xu had allegedly been sidelined by Lin Qi shortly after helping secure the Netflix deal for "The Three-Body Problem". Xu acquired highly toxic substances online, which he disguised, some of which were also consumed by other employees who subsequently fell ill but recovered.

Lin Qi's company, Three-Body Universe, confirmed Xu's execution, stating that justice had finally been served in the case of their founder.