Woman Who Got Plastic Surgery After Robbing Banks Finally Caught 25 Years Later

Chen Yile (a moniker used by Chinese authorities), has finally been caught after 25 years of evading justice. She is being charged with fraud and corruption after committing a series of crimes as a bank clerk.

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate

Prosecutors confirmed on WeChat that they finally caught the culprit after 25 years of diligent effort. “For 25 years, investigators never gave up on arresting Chen.”

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate

According to the  Yueqing People’s Procuratorate, Chen was remorseful of her actions and confused immediately upon being caught. 

Chen’s original crimes were committed in 1997 when she had been working as a clerk at the China Construction Bank in Yueqing city.

Alamy

During her employment, she discovered a flaw in their banking system that allowed her to edit the amount of money in an account before cash was withdrawn.

The then 26-year-old requested a transfer to a nearby branch when she knew that the branch would be closed on weekends.

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate

She then made her way into the closed-down branch to enter new numbers into her bank accounts and was able to increase her balance to 5.66 million yuan or $835,000.

She then proceeded to make her way toward city banks to withdraw over 3.98 million yuan or $587,000 in cash.

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate

Upon completion of the first phase of her plan, she visited a clinic to have plastic surgery. It is not clear exactly what procedures she had performed.

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate

She finally made a stop at her parent’s house where she confessed to her parents. Ignoring her father’s pleas to surrender she moved to another province, assumed a new identity, and married another man. She had left behind her previous husband at the time of the crime.

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate

Her father had reported her to authorities at the time but the technology had not yet caught up to identify her once she looked different. 

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate

25 years later, having founded a successful cleaning supply company, Chen was a successful entrepreneur.

She will be facing charges of identity fraud, corruption, and remarrying without terminating a previous marriage.

Yueqing City People's Procuratorate