Chinese influencer earns millions of dollars from candles alone!! THIS was her business model

Beijing: A Chinese influencer has been arrested on fraud charges. She faces a possible 10-year prison sentence for selling decorated candles as 'wish candles' and earning US$7 million, or approximately ₹63 crore (approximately ₹63 crore). Li Zhuofan has now become a sensation on the internet due to her business model which has seen her rake in millions of dollars.

What is the issue?

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, stressed-out young people in China are seeking "emotional and spiritual solace" by purchasing unusual products online. Consequently, they are easily falling prey to charlatans that claim to offer solutions to their problems.

Experts have warned that young people should stay away from products that can distort reality and spread superstitions disguised as charlatans. In China, some young people are paying exorbitant prices for wish-fulfilling candles sold by influencers, hoping to rekindle their love lives.

An influencer named Li Zhuofan gained over 600,000 followers on Chinese social media after appearing on the Russian reality show "The Battle of Psychics," where she used a candle to detect a person hiding in a car trunk and claimed she could sense what might happen to someone else in the future.

What did Li do?

After returning to China, Li began selling handmade wish candles online. These candles were decorated with crystals and dried flowers and contained a blend of essential oils. She marketed different blends as having different powers, ranging from boosting career and wealth to helping bring back an ex-lover.

Prices for such candles ranged from ₹2,888 (US$420) to ₹100,000. These candles included wish candles, such as the "Triple Luck" version. Li also hired a team to create and post videos promoting his psychic abilities and sold the candles as well as predictions online.

A customer paid 5,888 yuan in the hope that the candles would attract more customers to his shop. When nothing changed, the man filed a police complaint. Hongxing News reported that Li was later arrested on fraud charges.

Prosecutors allege that he made more than 50 million yuan (US$7 million) through the sale of wish-fulfilling candles and related psychic courses. Under Chinese law, fraud cases involving particularly large sums can result in fines and confiscation of property, as well as more than 10 years in prison.

What is the reaction?

However, even after the incident came to light, posts and shopping links related to wish-fulfilling candles continued to circulate on social media. This sparked debate online. Some users commented, "After lighting the love candle, my ex-boyfriend became really attached to me. I couldn't tear him away."

Others urged buyers to observe the candle's burning time and the flame's behavior, claiming it could help them determine if their partner was cheating. There's a huge craze for such charms among young Chinese people. The craze for wish-fulfilling candles is deeply rooted in China's spiritual economy. Along with candles, many products are being marketed as offerings for crystals, tarot readings, and spiritual rest. The younger generation is mostly vulnerable, under immense pressure and being duped by sellers using live-streaming, social media and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.