Zhenhao Zou is a PhD student at UCL who was recently arrested for drugging and r*ping several women, find out more about him and his crimes and charges below
The seemingly charming student led a double life as a serial r*pist, carrying out his attacks across London and China. The Chinese national, who was studying for a PhD in engineering at UCL, enjoyed a busy social life while living in London and is said to have r*ped 10 women in the UK and China, but police fear the figure may stand at 50 women.
Who is Zhenhao Zou, Chinese UCL, UK PhD student convicted of 10 r*ping women, bio, age, parents, education and nationality
Using the pseudonym “Pakho” online, he befriended fellow Chinese students on social media platforms and dating apps and would then invite them for drinks, drug them, and assault them at his residences in London and China. Seven of the r*pes took place during the pandemic in China with only two of the victims identified till now.
A Chinese student, Zhenhao Zou, has been found guilty of raping ten women in the UK and China.
Before his arrest in January 2024, Zou was studying at University College London. He has been found guilty on 28 counts – including possession of extreme pornographic images, false… pic.twitter.com/ei9ZYzKCw9
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) March 5, 2025
Footage from the Metropolitan police shows the moment officers arrested Chinese PHD student Zhenhao Zou, 28, accused of drugging and raping three women in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023.
Read more: https://t.co/9IGarXrB16 pic.twitter.com/uPe1CUAiXz
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 5, 2025
Zou reportedly targeted many of his victims through social media, and his case has left netizens in shock.
Zhenhao Zou arrested for drugging and raping several women
Police in the UK recently arrested a Chinese man called Zhenhao Zou in January 2024 at his luxury London apartment. The PhD student reportedly lived on the 39th floor of a building where he paid £4,000 monthly in rent. While carrying out the arrest, investigators reportedly found hidden cameras, alcohol, ecstasy, and GBL.
Authorities also managed to discover about 1,277 videos on Zou’s devices, showing him r*ping unconscious women. During his trial, the jurors at Inner London Crown Court watched footage of nine rapes that Zou himself filmed. Zou claimed that the women acted out r*pe fantasies in exchange for gifts. However, the jury ruled him as a serial r*pist.
According to reports, Zou targeted women on social media before inviting them to his flat under the pretense of drinks or studying. Once they reached there, he would spike their drinks with GHB or MDMA and render them unconscious. Following which he would r*pe and film the victims using hidden or handheld cameras. Zou reportedly carried out the attacks in both London and China, and he possessed sedatives in his apartment with evidence of smuggling the drugs from China as well as from London clubs.
Zhenhao Zou bio
A Chinese student, Zhenhao Zou, has been found guilty of raping ten women in the UK and China.
Before his arrest in January 2024, Zou was studying at University College London. He has been found guilty on 28 counts – including possession of extreme pornographic images, false… pic.twitter.com/ei9ZYzKCw9
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) March 5, 2025
Zhenhao Zou, who was also known as Pakho, is a Chinese PhD student who was born in Dongguan City, China. His father worked for a state-owned enterprise, while his mother worked as a teacher. Zou comes from a very wealthy family who owned multiple properties.
Zou, who is currently 28 years old, had also been able to afford an expensive education and lifestyle in the UK with his family’s money. The PhD student often wore designer clothes, owned a Rolex, and even underwent facial surgery and a hair transplant. Despite his seemingly successful life, Zou was leading a double life as a sexual predator.
Education
After completing his early education in China, Zhenhao Zou moved to the UK at age 20 to study mechanical engineering. He enrolled at Queen’s University in Belfast, and by 2019, he relocated to London for a Master’s at University College London (UCL). After completing his course, Zou later pursued a PhD in engineering but often traveled between China and the UK. Despite years of studying in the UK in English, he refused to communicate in English in court, using an interpreter.
Zhenhao Zou charges
Following his arrest, Zou faces the following charges:
- 11 counts of r*pe
- Three counts of voyeurism
- 10 counts of possessing extreme p*rn*graphic images
- One count of false imprisonment
- Three counts of possessing a controlled drug with intent to commit a s*xual offense
- Two additional counts of possessing extreme p*rn(graphic images
- Five counts of drug possession with intent to commit a s*xual offense.