A released prisoner with no religious qualifications and two prior fraud convictions managed to secure the position of abbot at a temple by adopting the self-styled monastic name "Juehai" and purchasing forged credentials online. He then orchestrated a series of elaborate schemes involving temple construction projects, job placements, and supply contracts, illegally amassing nearly 600,000 yuan before being brought to justice.

The individual, identified by the surname Zhou, had been unemployed and was previously incarcerated twice for fraud in 2010 and 2017. After his release in February 2024, Zhou came across a short video advertising a recruitment drive for management staff at a temple in Dantu District, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province. He promptly contacted the temple's administrator, a man surnamed Lü, claiming to be an ordained monk with the monastic name "Juehai" who could oversee daily operations and revitalize the temple's development. In reality, Zhou had never obtained any officially issued monk certification, so he purchased the necessary documents from an online marketplace to secure the opportunity. Lü, convinced by Zhou's credentials and identification, appointed him as abbot and entrusted him with the temple's daily management.

Once in his new role, Zhou immediately leveraged his position as abbot to set traps for job seekers, contractors, and business owners, executing precise fraudulent schemes. A man surnamed Liu, who was seeking stable employment, shared his ambitions with Zhou during a social media conversation. Zhou offered to help Liu secure a position at a religious institution. To build trust, Zhou produced counterfeit employment contracts and appointment notices, repeatedly demanding payments for "entry deposits" and "position upgrades." Liu later recounted, "He kept asking for money, and I had some doubts, but the contracts looked so official that I was fooled." Liu transferred a total of 48,500 yuan and even gifted Zhou a gold necklace. After a prolonged wait with no job offer, Liu investigated and discovered that no such recruitment existed—Zhou's promise was a complete fabrication. Liu subsequently reported the case to the Dantu Branch of the Zhenjiang Public Security Bureau.

The police investigation revealed that beyond defrauding Liu, Zhou had employed similar tactics to swindle three other victims out of more than 420,000 yuan. Additionally, Zhou targeted business operators. He falsely claimed to represent the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Management Office and the Buddhist Association, asserting he had exclusive authority over the supply of consumables for 21 temples in the district. Using this guise, he signed a supply contract with a fruit merchant named Wang, collecting a security deposit under false pretenses. He later fabricated stories about liaising with officials and expanding business partnerships to repeatedly extract "deposits" and "facilitation fees," ultimately defrauding Wang of over 57,000 yuan. In April 2025, Zhou signed another supply agreement with a man named Zhong, citing the need to procure materials for a temple prayer ceremony, and swindled him out of 60,000 yuan in deposits and goods payments.

Numerous victims, who never received notifications to commence work, projects, or deliveries, grew suspicious and filed reports with the authorities. Zhou was apprehended by police in October 2025. In March of this year, the case was transferred to the Dantu District Procuratorate for review and prosecution. The investigation determined that Zhou had illegally accumulated a total of 595,200 yuan, with 422,900 yuan attributed to fraud and 172,300 yuan to contract fraud. In July, the procuratorate formally indicted Zhou. On July 24, the court held a hearing and, considering Zhou's status as a repeat offender with significant malicious intent, declined to show leniency. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for fraud and contract fraud, combined, and fined 110,000 yuan. The defendant did not appeal, and the verdict has taken effect.