Chinese National Ki Cheung Yau Charged in Cyberstalking Case

Los Angeles resident Ki Cheung Yau, 27, is behind bars and facing federal charges for a relentless cyberstalking campaign targeting a Minnesota college student—a scheme that spanned years and pushed the victim into fear for her safety.

According to a federal criminal complaint unsealed in St. Paul, Yau created dozens of fake online profiles using the victim’s name, photos, and personal information. These accounts appeared across social media, dating sites, and pornography platforms, where he posed as the woman, soliciting sex and even promoting violent sexual encounters—all without her knowledge.

The harassment escalated in January 2021 when two separate men showed up at the victim’s residence, asking for her by name, believing they were meeting her for prearranged sexual encounters. The intrusions forced the student to confront the horrifying reality: her identity had been weaponized online by a stranger thousands of miles away.

By February 2021, the victim discovered the web of deception—fake Instagram and Facebook profiles, along with accounts on sexually explicit websites, all bearing her face and personal details. The fallout was immediate and severe: she was bombarded with unwanted messages from strangers and ultimately forced to relocate and change her phone number to escape the harassment.

Yau was arrested and appeared before Magistrate Judge Gail J. Standish in the Central District of California, where he was ordered detained and transferred to Minnesota. He faces one count of cyberstalking, a federal charge carrying serious prison time if convicted. No trial date has been set.

The investigation was led by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case. As of now, the complaint remains an allegation—Yau is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.