❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Chinese PhD student, Zhenhao Zou, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 22 years and 227 days after being convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in London, England, and his native China. Evidence suggests there are dozens of additional victims.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old student, and his victims, three of whom have been identified, with police suspecting many more.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Crimes occurred between September 2019 and May 2023 in London and China; sentencing took place at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, June 19.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The sheer scale of his offending, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most prolific predators we have ever seen.” – Detective Inspector Richard Mackenzie
🎯IMPACT: Zou’s case highlights ongoing concerns related to migrant crime across the Western world, where foreign nationals have been convicted of offenses from burglary, to rape, to murder.
Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old Chinese PhD student, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 22 years and 227 days for drugging and raping 10 women across London, England, and China. The Inner London Crown Court heard that Zou filmed nine of the rapes and kept a trophy box of his victims’ belongings, with police fearing the actual number of victims could be far higher.
Judge Rosina Cottage described Zou as a “very bright young man” who used a “charming mask” to manipulate and hide his predatory behavior. She added that his crimes had “devastating and long-term effects” on the victims. Zou was convicted of 11 counts of rape, three counts of voyeurism, and several related charges, including possession of sedative drugs with intent to commit sexual offenses.
Detective Inspector Richard Mackenzie noted, “The sheer scale of his offending, which spanned two countries, makes him one of the most prolific predators we have ever seen.” Zou, who lived in London as an international engineering student, targeted fellow Chinese students through WeChat and dating apps, inviting them to his flat where he would drug and assault them.
One victim, in her impact statement, said, “I have lost faith in human beings, I have no trust in others. Before this incident, I was not aware that a human could do such evil things.” Another victim described being “haunted” by nightmares of Zou’s actions, stating, “What happened that night is etched into my soul forever.” Scotland Yard revealed that 24 additional women have come forward following media coverage of Zou’s trial, believing they may have been his victims.
Commander Kevin Southworth of the Metropolitan Police encouraged other potential victims to come forward, assuring them they would be treated with “empathy, kindness, and respect.” Police have video evidence of 50 additional victims that they are still attempting to trace, and at least 24 women have already come forward in the wake of his conviction.
In the U.S., the Trump administration is currently moving to increase the vetting of foreign students, particularly from China, who often have ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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