Cops are investigating whether a woman impersonated a mysterious Chinese heiress by pretending to be the 23-year-old multimillionaire at a police station.
LanLan Yang is facing a raft of serious charges which could land her in prison after her $1.5million Tiffany blue Rolls-Royce Cullinan crashed into a Mercedes van in Sydney's east.
Chauffeur George Plassaras, who drove regularly for radio king Kyle Sandilands, suffered life-changing injuries in the collision and might never work again.
As part of her bail conditions, Yang is required to report to Rose Bay police station once a week and to live at her luxury penthouse in Watsons Bay.
On Wednesday, a young Asian woman wearing a Chanel top and Chanel jeans arrived at that police station about 5.15pm in a black Rolls-Royce Ghost convertible driven by a tattooed man.
After presenting herself as Yang to a constable at the station desk, the woman walked out onto Wunulla Road carrying bail papers and stopped when asked a series of questions by the Daily Mail.
Reporter: 'Are you LanLan or someone else?'
Woman: 'I'm someone else.'
Cops are investigating whether a woman impersonated a mysterious Chinese heiress by pretending to be the 23-year-old multimillionaire at a police station. The woman is pictured on Wednesday
LanLan Yang (above in August) is facing a raft of serious charges which could land her in prison after her $1.5million Tiffany blue Rolls-Royce Cullinan crashed into a Mercedes van in Sydney's east
As part of her bail conditions Yang (above in September) is required to report to Rose Bay police station once a week and to live at her luxury penthouse in Watsons Bay
Reporter: 'Do you want to tell me who you are if you're not LanLan?'
Woman: 'No.'
Police followed all normal procedures for a routine bail report. The woman who presented herself to Rose Bay station lowered her face mask so her features could be compared to an image of Yang kept on file.
A senior police source told the Daily Mail an investigation had been launched into the identity of the woman, as well as whether Yang was currently living at the Watsons Bay address.
'We are taking this very seriously because what's being alleged would be a very serious offence, or offences,' the source said.
The Daily Mail has seen no sign of Yang at the Watsons Bay apartment since October and police confirmed they were visiting the property on Thursday.
Yang's lawyer has been contacted for comment.
Yang, a Chinese national who has been studying in Australia, has never appeared in person on any of the five occasions her case has been mentioned in court.
On Wednesday, a young Asian woman wearing a Chanel top and Chanel jeans arrived at that police station about 5.15pm in a black Rolls-Royce Ghost convertible driven by a tattooed man
After presenting herself as Yang to a constable at the station desk the woman (above) was asked by the Daily Mail if she was LanLan Yang or someone else. 'I'm someone else,' she said.
LanLan Yang is pictured leaving Waverley police station last July after being charged over her collision with a Mercedes being driven by Kyle Sandilands's chauffeur George Plassaras
EXCLUSIVE
It is not suggested that Ms Yang has not complied with her bail obligations or that there has in fact been any attempt by Ms Yang to avoid those obligations, only that the police are investigating whether or not the woman who presented herself to Rose Bay police station on Wednesday impersonated Ms Yang.
Away from court, she has regularly been photographed wearing designer clothes, has never spoken a word to the media, and routinely runs when approached by reporters.
Since her arrest, Yang has usually been shuttled around town in a white Toyota Vellfire peoplemover driven by a man who gets out to escort her if media are around.
The woman who reported to police on Wednesday was driven there by a different chauffeur and told the Daily Mail the black Rolls-Royce Ghost was not hers.
That Rolls-Royce appeared to be the same Ghost convertible Yang used to keep unregistered in a garage below her apartment when it was painted white.
The last four digits of the vehicle identification number of both cars are the same.
Yang's case was last mentioned in Downing Centre Local Court on November 14 when lawyer Michael Korn told a registrar his client had been excused from attending.
On that day, Mr Korn entered not guilty pleas to four charges and denied Yang had been receiving special treatment from the court.
Since her arrest, Yang has usually been shuttled around town in a white Toyota Vellfire people mover driven by a man who gets out to escort her if media are around. She is pictured last July
This picture was taken after Yang reported for bail at Rose Bay police station in October
When Yang's matters were previously mentioned on October 17 a registrar had said Yang would be expected to appear in person the next time.
Yang is accused of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in jail.
She is also facing a back-up charge of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, as well as failing to submit to a breath test and not giving particulars to police.
Yang had to surrender her passport to be granted bail but there was no condition imposed which prohibited her from approaching airports or other points of international departure.
Yang's barrister John Korn disclosed some of his client's background when her case was mentioned for the second time on September 26.
Mr Korn said Yang's parents had sent her to Australia at attend school when she was 14 and she was now a permanent resident.
The university student had rarely returned to China, suffered 'considerable' mental health issues and 'hardly leaves her home', Mr Korn said.
Mr Plassaras had just started work when his van was allegedly struck by Yang's Rolls-Royce on New South Head Road, Rose Bay, about 3.20am on July 26.
Yang (above in September) has regularly been photographed wearing designer clothes and has never spoken a word to the media. She routinely runs when approached by reporters
The woman who reported on bail on Wednesday walked calmly across Wunulla Road after telling the Daily Mail she was not Yang
He was trapped in the wreckage of his Mercedes and could be heard yelling for help as police and Fire and Rescue NSW worked to free him from the crushed vehicle.
The impact reportedly caused Mr Plassaras to suffer a broken spine, shattered hips, two broken femurs, busted ribs, a ruptured spleen and torn-open abdomen.
The crash catapulted Yang into an almost instant celebrity-like status, particularly among Chinese Australians who have been intrigued by her obvious wealth.
The first time Yang was listed to face court on August 15 scores of Chinese Australians lined up outside to catch a glimpse of the camera-shy moneybags.
Yang disappointed her huge new fan base by appearing only briefly on screen from her lawyer's office. She has not appeared on screen since that day.
One onlooker told the Daily Mail: 'It's very rare to see, or have the opportunity to see, someone in person who is ultra wealthy and has power.'
'You don't see 23-year-olds who can drive two Rolls-Royces.'
Yang has gone to extreme measures to keep her face out of public view in the past six months.
The woman who reported to police on Wednesday was driven there by a man who was not her usual chauffeur and told the Daily Mail the black Rolls-Royce Ghost (above) was not hers
The black Rolls-Royce appeared to be the same Ghost convertible Yang used to keep unregistered in a garage below her apartment when it was painted white (above)
The only time Yang has been photographed without a mask is when the Daily Mail snapped her with a friend dining at the Museum of Contemporary Art on September 3.
She arrived without wearing a mask, but wore both a white one and a black one during her time at the restaurant - the second with a slit across the mouth allowing her to eat.
On that occasion, Yang also wore a $4,326 Louis Vuitton jacket, $3,000 Louis Vuitton cargo pants, $2,600 Hermès ankle boots and $1,220 Louis Vuitton Iconic cap.
Yang called herself Cynthia on Instagram and was known to her peers as Yang Lanlan, with her family name written first.
Since the head-on collision, which police allege occurred when Yang crossed double yellow lines, she has deleted her local social media accounts.
One of Yang's contemporaries told Daily Mail she was only aware of Yang having been in Australia since 2021. She said Yang was enrolled in a business course at the University of Sydney but 'she never actually goes to school herself'.
'We move in the same friend circle and have many mutual friends,' the acquaintance said. 'She only socialises within the Chinese community because her English is poor.'
The acquaintance said Yang’s Instagram had been filled with images of her ‘shopping crazy’ and visiting some of the best restaurants in Sydney but she was obsessive about obscuring her face in posts.
‘She eats fine dining every single day,’ the acquaintance said of Yang’s life before the collision.
‘She also frequently shops at Chanel and Louis Vuitton, sometimes renting out the entire store for herself.’
Yang’s devotion to high-end labels extends to pet accessories. Her Shiba Inu - named Wangzai - wears a $990 Celine collar and has its own Louis Vuitton pillow and Hermès blanket.
She is due to appear in court again later this month.