Chinese influencer 'Athena' confirmed killed in Philippines; suspect extradited
世界小姐"雅典娜"确认遇害 被闺蜜骗去菲律宾遭"撕票"
Chinese social media influencer Kong Limei, known as 'Athena' and a former Miss World Macau finalist, was confirmed murdered. According to Chinese state-backed media, she was lured to the Philippines in June 2023 by a close friend, kidnapped by a transnational gang led by Liu Hanwen, and killed despite an $800,000 ransom payment. The main suspect, Liu Mouwen, was extradited from the US to China on July 20, 2026, in what authorities frame as a successful case of Sino-US law enforcement cooperation.
The view from inside
The report frames the story primarily as a vindication of China's transnational law enforcement efforts and its commitment to protecting citizens abroad.
Free. The read from inside China is the part we ask you to sign in for.