Chinese Influencer Spotted Working As A Hostess In Cambodia After Going Missing For A Year

Popular Guangdong-born influencer Liya (雅典娜), who has over a million followers on Weibo and Xiaohongshu, went missing over a year ago under strange circumstances.

According to the 29-year-old’s social media posts, she was on holiday in the Philippines and her family has not been able to reach her since April 2023.

Texts between Liya and her best friend’s ‘mother’ have since surfaced on the internet.

The older woman was revealed to have been in touch with Liya prior to her disappearance.

Liya’s best friend, whose surname is Li, had apparently broken up with her boyfriend. Li’s mum then reached out to Liya in hopes that she would go on a trip with Li to lift her spirits.

Li was also said to have confided in Liya before asking her on a trip to the Philippines.

Here’s where things get shady.

Before they set off, Li told Liya she would have to take a later flight as she had family matters to attend to. Liya then departed for the Philippines alone and has been uncontactable since.

Did Li ever show up to meet Liya in the Philippines? No one knows.

In June, Liya shared two posts on Xiaohongshu, but those who tried contacting her realised her phone was turned off.

Li also shut all her social media accounts later that month, leading people to suspect that she had something to do with Liya’s disappearance.

A clip of Liya locked up and abused also started circulating online, and it was rumoured that her family was asked to pay 800K yuan (S$148K) in ransom.

Here’s the latest update.

Recently, a netizen claimed that they spotted Liya working as a hostess in a casino in Cambodia.

In the photos shared, a woman they said was Liya was wearing a tag with the number 66. The netizen claimed that she had multiple cosmetic procedures done to her face and body.

Since that post, others have come out to say that they have also seen Liya. Many believe that she is being “controlled by an establishment” which provides “an array of services”.

Rumours now claim that Li and her mum had scammed Liya to go to the Philippines. There, she was “sold” to human traffickers in Cambodia, where she is essentially being held against her will.

Here’s hoping that Liya will be able to return home soon.