NETFLIX AND KILL

Killer Executed Over Poison Plot on Billionaire Netflix Producer

Prosecutors said he laced drinks and supplements with deadly poison in a revenge plot against his billionaire boss.

A former gaming executive who prosecutors say turned an office power struggle into a real-life murder thriller has been executed in China after poisoning the billionaire producer behind Netflix’s 3 Body Problem. Chinese authorities carried out the execution of Xu Yao, who was convicted of killing Yoozoo Games founder Lin Qi after allegedly being sidelined at the company shortly after helping land the blockbuster Netflix adaptation deal. Lin, a billionaire gaming tycoon and producer tied to the sci-fi drama 3 Body Problem, died in 2020 at age 39 after falling mysteriously ill. Prosecutors said Xu spent hundreds of thousands of yuan buying toxic chemicals online, including alpha-amanitin, a deadly mushroom poison. According to local reports, Xu hid the substances inside probiotic pills, coffee capsules, whiskey bottles, and water containers shared around the office. The Hollywood Reporter previously reported Lin may have been poisoned through tea. Lin’s company confirmed Xu’s execution this week, saying “justice has ultimately been served.” The sci-fi franchise became a global hit after Netflix released 3 Body Problem in 2024. Lin’s fortune was estimated at $1 billion at the time of his death.