A law graduate in China has been arrested for embezzling donation money from Buddhist temples by using a fraudulent QR code scheme. The individual, who has completed a master’s degree in law from a prestigious Chinese university, was apprehended after police released video footage revealing his illicit activities.
According to reports, the man replaced the legitimate QR code at several temples with his own personal codes. This deceitful maneuver redirected donations intended for the temples into his bank account. The theft, which reportedly amounted to over $4,200 (approximately ₹3.5 lakh), occurred in temples across Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Chongqing provinces this year.
The crime came to light when footage from the Famen Temple in Baoji city showed the suspect placing his own QR code over the temple’s donation box while bowing before a Buddha statue. This video, released by Shaanxi police, demonstrated the man’s method of stealing donations and involving in scam. After being caught, he confessed to using the same technique at other Buddhist sites. Authorities have confirmed that he returned all the stolen money following his arrest.
In a separate incident, a 45-year-old man named Ghanashyam was arrested in Odisha’s Nayagarh district on charges of stealing valuables from temples. Ghanashyam, who has been involved in over 50 temple thefts, was detained after a lengthy investigation. He was implicated in thefts at the Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parmeswari temple in Jeypore and another temple in Rayagada district.