New Zealand Sect Leader Sentenced for Murder of Chinese Immigrant

A court in Auckland jailed Kuaixiao Liu over ten years for the death of 70‑year‑old Shulai Wang, who had travelled from Hainan island in China to live with his sect in August 2023.

Wang’s body was found wrapped in rice bags near Auckland’s Gulf Harbour in March 2024, leading to a major homicide investigation that ultimately linked the body to Liu’s “Ark” household. Prosecutors described the women in the house, including Wang, as “servants” living under Liu’s strict rules and referring to him as “Lord.”

During the trial, the court heard that Wang struggled to meet the sect’s demands due to her age and was frequently disciplined. She attempted to escape on the day of her death, was restrained, and died later that day. Liu, accompanied by his children, then smuggled the body near a marina, using funicular movement to disguise the act.

Police traced the rice bags used to lay Wang’s body back to Liu through a spike in purchases of the specific grain brand. Liu faced charges of kidnapping and manslaughter; his wife Lanyue Xiao received a sentence of almost eight years for similar offences, while his parents, Xiuyun Li and Jingui Liu, were also convicted of kidnapping and misconduct with human remains and are due to be sentenced later this year.

Liu’s lawyer appealed for leniency, claiming no remorse and denying cult leadership, but Justice Mathew Downs admonished him for “callous indifference” and the lonely, frightening death inflicted upon Ms Wang.

The case highlights the infiltration of social media-driven cults into New Zealand society and raises questions about the protection offered to immigrant communities facing such manipulation. The investigation also shows how subtle evidence, like specific food purchases, can unearth hidden crimes.