Impersonated his brother for 19 years – and was caught due to his ex's stupid mistake

A Chinese man who impersonated his deceased twin brother for 19 years was arrested after being discovered during a routine review of old case files. The deceased brother's ex-girlfriend confirmed his true identity. The suspect, who committed a robbery in 2002, faces a prison sentence of 3 to 10 years.

Chinese police arrested a man who impersonated his deceased twin brother for 19 years, after he committed a robbery in 2002. The suspect, whose surname is Chen, evaded punishment after five of his accomplices were arrested. Five years after the robbery, police received a notification that Chen's household registration was canceled due to his death in a traffic accident, and the case was closed. Nineteen years later, during a routine review, investigators discovered an unusual clue: a man in Anhui was living under the identity of his deceased twin brother. Investigators cross-referenced data and identified a suspicious resemblance. The police struggled to prove their suspicions, as official records indicated Chen's death. The breakthrough came when investigators discovered that nine days after Chen's death was registered in 2007, the 'older brother' applied to change his name and attached a new photo. After family members refused to cooperate, investigators located the older brother's ex-fiancée, Deng, who confirmed that the one who died in the accident was the older brother. Chen was arrested last June, 24 years after the crime, and faces a sentence of 3 to 10 years in prison.