Lin Li, a Nu Skin affiliate in China, died on March 2nd from a lung infection after she reportedly treated a fever with Nu Skin juice, foregoing medical attention. Her upline had advised her to skip the hospital and avoid medicine, instead promoting a "detoxification" regimen with the company's products.
Lin joined Nu Skin in 2016, dedicating her time to selling products to family and friends. She frequently ran promotions for the brand. Her husband, identified as Su, noted she began consuming 16 pills and two packets of juice powder daily by 2017. Su also stated that Lin's upline, a person surnamed Song, encouraged this extensive product use.
After affiliating with Nu Skin, Lin's behavior shifted. She often returned home late and neglected their child. The family home became stocked with Nu Skin products, which Lin consumed with fervent regularity. The marriage nearly ended when Lin refused hospital care for their sick child, claiming her mentor warned against vaccines as "poisonous."
In late February, Lin developed a fever. Her upline, Song, again advised her against hospital visits or conventional medicine. Lin instead attempted to "detox" using only Nu Skin juice. Family members later told Beijing Youth Daily that Song assured Lin the fevers indicated the "detoxification" process was working. Friends recalled Lin previously stating that fevers made her feel healthier. Lin succumbed to the lung infection on March 2nd.
Following Lin's death, her upline and downline associates disappeared. Many left the WeChat group Lin had established for product promotions without acknowledging her passing. Nu Skin remained silent for seventeen days. The company issued a statement only after the incident became public news and generated widespread outrage. In its statement, Nu Skin announced it had formed a team to investigate the matter. The company stated, "If our distributors are found to make misleading or exaggerating claims, the company will not avert its responsibilities."
Beijing Youth Daily later uncovered video evidence showing Nu Skin salespeople making further unsubstantiated health claims. These videos depicted salespeople telling audiences they could cure cancer and advising sick individuals to avoid hospitals in favor of consuming double quantities of Nu Skin products. Lin's upline, Song, reportedly continues to conduct seminars, promoting supplements and citing "miraculous recoveries." At one such seminar, Song claimed fevers worsen in hospitals and only Nu Skin pills offer a cure.
China's regulatory environment for multi-level marketing companies has historically been complex, with strict rules on direct selling. In 2014, Nu Skin Enterprises was fined 3.1 million yuan, approximately $500,000, by Chinese authorities for illegal direct selling and making unsubstantiated product claims. Despite this, such incidents highlight the persistent challenge of enforcing regulations against false health claims within the industry. The government has previously cracked down on "brainwashing" pyramid recruitment seminars, but the problem persists.
The case of Lin Li's death reignites concerns over regulatory enforcement in China, particularly regarding the accountability of direct selling companies for their distributors' medical advice. Despite past fines, such as the 3.1 million yuan penalty levied against Nu Skin in 2014 for illegal direct selling, the issue of false health claims continues to challenge authorities.