‘Bad Breath Rapist’ hangs his head in court as he is jailed after 17-year life of luxury in San Francisco mansion with oblivious girlfriend [Video]

16:45 EDT 16 Aug 2024, updated 17:13 EDT 16 Aug 2024

A sadistic restauranteur dubbed the ‘Bad Breath Rapist’ has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after fleeing his trial and spending almost as long in hiding.

Tuen Kit Lee, 55, broke into his young subordinate’s home, restrained her with zipties, and sexually abused her at knifepoint for hours on February 2, 2005.

He hid his face, but his 21-year-old victim recognized his ‘putrid’ breath from working together at his family’s restaurant in Boston, where he was a manager.

Lee, a Chinese immigrant, got the distinctive odor from using traditional herbal medicines, and DNA evidence later confirmed her suspicions.

Just before he was to give evidence at his September 2007 trial, he went on the run until he was tracked to a mansion near San Francisco on May 28.