A man in China allegedly staged a fake death complete with a coffin, a pretend poisoning scene and a family report to police, all to avoid the consequences of a drink-driving case. Subtle, it was not.

According to the Global Times, the man has only been identified by his surname, Si. He had been released on bail after being caught drink-driving in January 2025. Investigators later found that this was not his first encounter with the law over driving offences: he had reportedly been caught twice before for driving under the influence without a licence.

Police said Si feared another conviction would leave him with a criminal record, a fine and even deeper financial trouble. Rather than face that fairly predictable legal process, authorities say he started planning a way out: fake his death and disappear across the country.

How the staged funeral raised questions

The plan began to unravel in June 2025, when Si’s mother and grandmother told authorities he had died after taking poison. By the time officers arrived, they were told his body had already been placed in a coffin and buried.

That meant police could not examine the remains, which was convenient for Si and rather less convenient for anyone trying to verify a death.

Investigators quickly noticed several problems with the account. They questioned why no one had taken Si to hospital after the alleged poisoning. They also wanted to know why a coffin appeared to have been bought before his supposed death.

The family could not provide basic records normally tied to that kind of claim, including a medical death certificate or cremation documents. Those missing papers became a major red flag.

Authorities later said Si had bought the coffin in advance, placed empty medicine bottles around his home and even used cooling equipment to lower his body temperature, apparently to make it look as if he had died from poisoning.

Where police found him months later

After the staged funeral, Si fled and spent months on China’s national wanted list. Police eventually tracked him to Yunnan Province, in southwest China, where he was arrested on April 27, 2026.

When questioned by law enforcement, Si reportedly explained that fear of punishment and money problems drove the scheme.

“I already had previous drunk-driving violations. I knew I would be sentenced and fined this time. I am heavily in debt, and with a criminal record, my life is over,” he said.

The attempt to avoid court has now ended in an actual sentence. Si has now been sentenced to five months in detention for dangerous driving.

His family members may also face consequences. His mother and grandmother are under criminal investigation for allegedly helping him evade justice.

The case is a fairly stark reminder that faking a funeral to dodge a drink-driving charge does not tend to simplify the legal situation. It just adds a coffin to the paperwork.