Chinese fugitive arrested after posing as deceased twin brother

A man surnamed Chen has been arrested in China after allegedly evading justice for over two decades by assuming the identity of his deceased twin brother, Deng.

Chen is a suspect in a 2002 robbery and abduction in Yuhuan, Zhejiang province, involving a group of seven men. While six accomplices were arrested shortly after the crime, Chen escaped. In 2007, police received reports that Chen had died in a traffic accident, leading authorities to close the case.

Investigations later revealed that it was actually the younger twin, Deng, who died in the accident. Chen reportedly used the confusion to legally change his name to his brother's, effectively making his own identity appear deceased. The deception was reportedly aided by family members for years.

Authorities uncovered the fraud during a routine check in Anhui province. Investigators were able to confirm the identity swap through archived records and testimony from the deceased brother's former girlfriend. Chen was arrested in June and faces a potential prison sentence of three to ten years if convicted.