CEO Sentenced to Death Over Fatal Poisoning of Netflix Producer

Lin Qi, Chairman and CEO of Yoozoo Games Co was poisoned

A former executive was sentenced to death on Friday for poisoning the founder of a prominent Chinese gaming company linked to popular series like Game of Thrones and "The Three-Body Problem."

Xu Yao deliberately poisoned Yoozoo Game founder Lin Qi's food in December 2020 due to disagreements over the company's management, stated the Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court.

Lin, aged 39, tragically passed away on Christmas day, with Xu's arrest following shortly after. Xu had also poisoned beverages in the office between September and December 2020, causing severe illness to four other individuals involved in the disputes.

Xu Yao, former chief executive officer of a unit of Yoozoo Interactive

Shanghai-based Yoozoo initially announced Lin's passing without specifying the cause, receiving condolences from his family. The company's social media post, signed by the entire staff, praised Lin's belief in beauty and kindness despite challenges, featuring a quote from "The Three-Body Problem."

Yoozoo holds the film rights to the bestselling Chinese sci-fi trilogy, and Xu led a subsidiary responsible for related business activities, as reported by Chinese media.

The Yoozoo Game logo in Shaghai

Lin served as an executive producer alongside Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for Netflix's adaptation of Liu Cixin's trilogy, released recently. The series portrays present-day scientists confronting an alien threat, intertwining with a narrative in Britain involving physicists and an enigmatic detective.

The show's cast includes Eiza Gonzalez, Jovan Adepo, Jess Hong, and Jonathan Pryce, with Brad Pitt, Rosamund Pike, and Rian Johnson serving as executive producers.

Yoozoo, also known as Youzu Interactive, gained fame for developing "Game of Thrones: Winter Is Coming," a game based on the iconic TV series.