Chinese authorities have executed former gaming executive Xu Yao for poisoning billionaire businessman Lin Qi in a case linked to the company behind Netflix’s 3 Body Problem.
According to reports from Chinese media, Xu Yao was executed on Thursday, May 21, 2026, after being convicted over Lin Qi’s death in Shanghai.
Lin Qi was the founder of Yoozoo Games, the company that secured adaptation rights to The Three-Body Problem, the globally popular sci-fi novel series written by Chinese author Liu Cixin.
Investigators said the killing was linked to an internal business dispute.
Xu Yao, who headed a subsidiary linked to Yoozoo’s film and television projects, became unhappy after allegedly being sidelined shortly after helping the company secure the Netflix deal connected to the adaptation project.
Authorities said Xu spent hundreds of thousands of yuan purchasing toxic chemicals online, including alpha-amanitin, a deadly substance found in poisonous mushrooms.
The poisons were reportedly hidden inside probiotic capsules, coffee, whiskey and bottled water shared with Lin Qi and other staff members.
Lin was rushed to hospital in December 2020 and died days later at the age of 39. Several other employees also reportedly fell ill but recovered.
Chinese courts convicted Xu Yao in 2024 before approving the death sentence.
Following the execution, Yoozoo Games released a statement on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
“Recently, the case concerning Mr. Lin Qi has finally reached its conclusion, and justice has ultimately been served,” the company said.
“All of us at the company are deeply grateful for the upholding of justice.”
The case drew international attention because of the global success of The Three-Body Problem, one of China’s most successful science-fiction exports. The novel series has been translated into more than 40 languages and inspired television, film and gaming projects worldwide.
Netflix released its adaptation, 3 Body Problem, in 2024, introducing the franchise to a global audience.
