A Chinese influencer identified as Athena Liya, who disappeared after travelling to Manila in June 2023, has reportedly been confirmed dead following a lengthy investigation into her disappearance.
Athena’s disappearance began after she was allegedly invited to travel to the Philippines by her friend, Li Yifei, who is reportedly still at large.
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According to reports, Li allegedly invited Athena on what was presented as a luxury getaway to the Philippines, telling her that she needed some cheering up following a breakup.
However, Li reportedly cancelled her own flight after claiming that something had unexpectedly come up.
Athena subsequently travelled alone from Guangzhou, China, to Manila, Philippines.
Reports stated that Athena was allegedly kidnapped by a criminal gang after arriving in the Philippines.
Following her disappearance, Li reportedly deleted her social media accounts and left the country, further raising suspicions about her alleged involvement in the case.
According to reports, Athena’s family later paid approximately $800,000 (£593,000) in ransom in an attempt to secure her release.
However, the payment reportedly did not lead to Athena being freed.
The investigation continued for more than a year as authorities worked to establish what had happened to the missing influencer.
One alleged member of the gang, Chen Yuxuan, was reportedly arrested in South Korea in September 2024.
A significant development in the case reportedly followed on July 20, when alleged gang mastermind Liu Hanwen was extradited from the United States to China.
Following his return to China, investigators reportedly made a devastating discovery.
Reports said authorities determined that Athena had been murdered and that her body had subsequently been disposed of.