A Chinese influencer and streamer, Lan Zhanfei, with a following of more than 24 million, was robbed at knifepoint on December 8 in a five‑star hotel in Cape Town’s CBD. Police confirmed a case of house robbery was opened and the matter has been handed to provincial serious violent crime detectives. Lan said he was held for four to five hours by one assailant and two accomplices, and alleged the group had tracked him for six months, tried to bribe airport and hotel staff, forced him to transfer funds and apply for online loans, and collected fingerprints, hair, and semen to threaten a fabricated “rape” case. He notified Chinese authorities and the embassy; he was told the likelihood of solving the case was very low, but reporting would help guard against being framed.
