A court in China will hear a case involving a 17-year-old girl accused of selling her 19-year-old boyfriend to a scam hub in Myanmar for 100,000 yuan (US$14,000).

The man, known as Huang, was released by the scam ring at the end of June after his family paid 350,000 yuan (US$48,000).

He was held there for nearly four months, during which time he received frequent beatings, leading to his deafness.

The case aroused widespread attention on mainland social media as Huang’s sister shared her brother’s plight online, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reported.

Zhou told him she was from southeastern Fujian province and that her parents had investments across the country.

Since Huang is unemployed, Zhou persuaded him to find a job in Myanmar where her family also operates some business, she said.

On February 2, Huang flew to Thailand with Zhou without telling his family.

“It was only when we saw his post on social media that we realised he was in Thailand,” his sister said.

Huang begged Zhou to give him his mobile phone to play with for a short while, and she agreed. He used it to send a cry for help to his family, who immediately called the police in China.

Huang said he was then taken to a compound called Kaixuan in Myanmar where his head was shaved and he was trained to carry out telecoms fraud schemes.

He had to work for 16 to 20 hours a day. But due to his failure to successfully swindle any victims, the managers at the compound often beat his waist with an iron stick and slapped his ears.

As a result, Huang became deaf and lost more than 10kg in weight.

The ringleader later decided to release Huang if his family could offer some compensation because they had paid 100,000 yuan to Zhou to buy him.

With the help of the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar to negotiate a ransom, and the ringleader agreed to the amount of 350,000 yuan.

The case was originally scheduled to be heard at the end of July but has been postponed until an undisclosed date.

According to Huang’s sister, police officers told her the case was thorny because it is difficult to collect evidence in a foreign country.

“My brother, who was lovestruck, was completely brainwashed by his girlfriend,” Huang’s sister said. “This girl is only 17. Who could imagine she would do such evil things?”(South China Morning Post, but headline rejigged)

• A 19-year-old man was sold by his 17-year-old girlfriend into a telecoms-fraud zone in Myanmar for US$14,000. - Photo: SCMP composite/AP/Douyin