In recent years, many rehabilitation centers in China have emerged, offering lavish décor and advanced facilities with “five-star treatment” to attract customers. However, a rehabilitation center in Jiangxi, China, which claimed to provide high-end wellness programs, was exposed for its so-called “premium medicines” that turned out to be just Vitamin C. The so-called “authoritative experts” of the center only had junior high or high school education. Shockingly, the institution implemented a highly professionalized fraud process, victimizing as many as 3,283 people and defrauding a total of 530 million yuan (308 million Malaysian ringgit).
According to CCTV reports, in 2021, a salesperson named Wang, who claimed to have medical resources, recommended the Xihai Rehabilitation Center in Lushan, Jiangxi, to Ms. Chen, who cared about her health, and accompanied her to experience the center’s technologies and services. During a one-on-one medical report session, the “expert” Xu pointed out that Ms. Chen had several health problems and recommended “stem cell therapy” at a cost of 520,000 yuan (301,700 ringgit), promising that after payment she could enjoy four free follow-up visits per year and complimentary lodging and tourism provided by the company.
After listening to the explanation, Ms. Chen thought it was a great deal and immediately paid. A month later, she brought her husband Mr. Zhuang to the center, where the “expert” likewise claimed that Mr. Zhuang also had several serious health issues and recommended wellness treatments. Concerned about their health, the couple accepted the treatment plan and spent a total of over 4.5 million yuan (2.61 million ringgit) over two years. By chance, the couple later learned from medical professionals that the claims that “stem cells cure all diseases” were not credible, and that non-medical institutions are not qualified to re-administer “stem cell drugs.” The rehabilitation center also refused to refund their account balance. Realizing they were scammed, the couple reported the case to the police.
CCTV also revealed that the rehabilitation center stored a large number of small vials labeled “Red Earthworm Enzyme,” “Metallothionein,” PF1, PF2, etc.—the so-called “anti-aging” drugs injected into Ms. Chen. Identification found that these “premium medicines” were actually common medications like Vitamin C and lipoic acid. By repackaging and renaming these products, they were sold at exorbitant prices. The center used a highly professionalized fraud system to specifically target customers, defrauding 530 million yuan in total, with 3,283 people falling victim.
With the criminal syndicate apprehended, the true identities of the “authoritative experts” at Xihai Rehabilitation Center were also revealed. Apart from a few with nursing or beauty industry experience, the majority only had junior high or vocational high school diplomas and had previously worked in fields completely unrelated to medicine—vastly different from the center’s claims of having a “world-class team of experts,” “authoritative anti-aging specialists,” or “descendants of traditional Chinese medical families.”