Shanghai Gym Staff Allegedly Sold to Myanmar Scam Parks by Manager

Over 30 employees from the Panyu Road branch of Shanghai's Will’s Gym, along with their store manager, Huang Jifu, went to Thailand for a team-building trip and subsequently lost contact. (The image shows the interior of a Will’s Gym in mainland China and is unrelated to this article. [Source: online screenshot])

People News - Over 30 employees from the Panyu Road branch of China’s gym chain, Will’s Gym, along with their store manager, were reportedly deceived by the regional manager of Shanghai and sold to scam parks in Myanmar after being lured to Thailand.

According to a report from Radio Free Asia, messages circulated in WeChat groups suggested that this group, including the manager, Huang Jifu, went to Thailand for a “team-building” trip but subsequently lost contact. Additionally, an email dated January 8 surfaced online, purportedly from Huang Jifu to Meng Ping, the manager of the Changning branch of Will’s Gym in Shanghai. The screenshot revealed that Huang was trapped in the “Apollo” scam park in Myawaddy, Myanmar, also known as Mawlamyine. He mentioned that he was given the codename “Hitler” and was working for a company called the “Zuoqin Group.” Huang provided contact numbers for his brother and father and made a desperate plea: “Please do not spread this or make it public; otherwise, I will be beaten to death.”

Manager’s Father Confirms 3-Month Loss of Contact

The case has drawn widespread attention but has not been confirmed by authorities or reported in official media. A Thailand-based independent media personality, PR007, contacted Huang’s father last Friday (17th). The father confirmed that Huang had been missing since October 6 last year, during the National Day holiday period, aligning with rumors that the group had been lured to Thailand during the holiday under the guise of team-building and then sold to Myanmar. Internal employee chats suggest that the regional manager of Shanghai, Wu Haifeng, is suspected to be the mastermind.

Reports have indicated that Will’s Gym has been facing operational difficulties. In the second half of last year, branches in several Shanghai districts, including Changning, Pudong, and Xuhui, reportedly merged or temporarily suspended operations. Insiders revealed that after the Panyu Road branch closed in August, the regional manager relocated the store manager and some staff to another branch in Shenzhen. Months later, they were enticed with an “end-of-year reward trip to Thailand,” only for the employees to lose contact after leaving the country.

Huang Jifu’s father stated that after his son went missing, he immediately reported it to the authorities. To date, no ransom demands have been made, and he has not had any phone or video contact with his son. However, he does not plan to go to Thailand at this time, as representatives from Shanghai are expected to travel there soon to assist.