She Built a Gambling Empire and a 16-Man Harem, Then Fell to an 18-Year Prison Sentence
Meet Sister Se, a queen of the Chinese underworld who shattered the stereotype of the crime boss. She didn't rule with fists alone—she turned finance, influence, and a carefully crafted image into power. From a mansion opposite Chongqing High Court, she commanded hundreds of henchmen and a nationwide web of underground casinos, all while keeping 16 young men in a gilded cage. Her empire collapsed after a public scandal drew police scrutiny, ending with an 18-year sentence.
In This Article:
From Government Clerk to Casino Queen: The Rise of Sister Se
Born in 1963 in Banan District, Chongqing, Se Caiping started in the tax bureau. She loved gambling, spending evenings at street card tables. An idea struck: open a casino. She also had powerful in-laws—she was the daughter-in-law of Wen Qian, the former head of the city police and later head of the Municipal Bureau of Justice. He helped launch the first underground casino and later became an accomplice in her criminal enterprise. Her first success was enormous: casino profits were ten times her government salary. She left public service to devote herself fully to illegal gambling, adopting the name Sister Se. Her background in finance, sharp networking, and ability to assemble a security force made her one of the country's most successful illegal gaming organizers. Under her control, more than 80 casinos operated across China, bringing in tens of millions of yuan each month. Hundreds of gang members worked for her; one casino even stood opposite Chongqing's High Court.
A Lavish World, a Dangerous Hunger: The 16-Man Harem
As wealth grew, Sister Se embraced a life of luxury: a villa, sports cars, designer clothes, and elite clubs. Her marriage faltered; her husband abused drugs, and their relationship became merely business. By 43, she realized money and power could no longer satisfy her desire for real passion and companionship. In a nightclub, she met a handsome young man and offered him a 'special job' with a generous payoff. He would receive hundreds of thousands in cash, access to her credit card, and the ability to buy anything he wanted—but he had to pleasure her each night and do as she commanded. Soon she repeated the pattern with other young men, then began recruiting men directly from clubs. Her people would bring them to her mansion, until 16 young men were living there under tight control—a gilded cage with little real freedom for years.
The Downfall: Investigation, Trial, and an 18-Year Sentence
Her opulent lifestyle drew attention from journalists and, eventually, the police. Investigators uncovered a sprawling network of illegal casinos, but proving confinement of the men inside the house proved difficult; the men would not testify for fear of losing the money they earned, and one attempted to tell the truth but withdrew after threats or realizing the money would stop. In court, Sister Se admitted guilt only for organizing an illegal criminal group and illegal gambling operations. In 2009, she was sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined 1 million yuan. She was 50 years old at the time, and her empire had lasted nearly three decades.
