Xu Fang/ Shanghai Daily news

A Jilin Province woman who allegedly swindled about 1.5 million yuan (US$218,341) from nine victims by pretending to be a rich businesswoman was arrested yesterday.

Minhang District prosecutors charged the woman, identified only as Cui, with contract fraud.

Cui, 40, opened an unregistered real estate agency in the city last November and hired more than 10 employees. The company failed to make a single deal in three months but Cui still had to pay 30,000 yuan in rent and salaries.