Chinese man steals family's savings to spend $550K on streamer for "bro" shoutout

A man from China has garnered the attention of social media users after depleting his family's life savings and committing theft to send money to a live streamer.

The man, known only by his surname Hong, developed an obsession with a streamer and sought to be called "brother."

In an extreme act of admiration, he drained his family’s funds and even resorted to stealing materials from his family’s hardware business to finance the extravagant donations.

Hong, who was working as a delivery driver, began stealing copper materials from his family’s business and selling them to recycling centers.

When his thefts were discovered, he turned himself into authorities, confessing to stealing $316,000, all of which he sent to the unnamed streamer.

In total, he had transferred 4 million yuan ($550,000 USD) to the streamer.

Hong admitted that he didn’t want to meet the streamer in person but simply wanted to hear her call him "brother" during her streams.