Chinese Man Receives Death Sentence for Forcing Wife into Sea to Claim Insurance Money
Husband's scheme to pay off debts and finance illegal ventures revealed
A 47-year-old man, identified by the surname Li, received a death sentence in China for deliberately pushing his wife overboard from a ferry to receive a life insurance payout.
The event took place on May 5, 2021, while on a ferry journey from Dalian in Liaoning Province to Yantai in Shandong Province.
Li's wife, who also had the surname Li, perished in the incident.
The Liaoning Higher People's Court upheld the death sentence in July 2022 after his appeal, citing premeditated murder aimed at financial benefit.
Prosecutors disclosed that Li had purchased four life insurance policies for his wife soon after their marriage in October 2020, which promised a potential payout of 12 million yuan (around US$1.6 million) in case of a transport accident.
Investigations revealed that Li was in debt, owned a restaurant in Shanghai, and was involved in extramarital activities, including engaging with prostitutes.
Surveillance footage and forensic evidence confirmed Li's guilt, disproving his claims of innocence.
The court highlighted his urgency to quickly secure a death certificate and his suspicious conduct following the incident.