SHANGHAI, Sept 29 -- A MAN accused of demanding 100,000 yuan (US$12,500) from a love rival as payment to stop seeing the woman they were both dating was arrested yesterday.

Minhang District prosecutors said Li Xinzhe, 27, would face blackmail charges. Li, a logistics company manager, demanded the money from an engineer surnamed Ma after he discovered his girlfriend was having a relationship with Ma.

Prosecutors said Li and Wu Wei, a 25-year-old actress, met in Nanhui District last March at a performance during the Peach Blossom Festival.

Prosecutors said that Wu met Ma one month later when he helped her change a tire on her car after a blowout. To thank him for his help Wu met Ma in a cafe. During the meeting Ma agreed to be Wu's boyfriend.

Prosecutors said neither boyfriend knew of the existence of the other until six months later when Li and Wu ran into Ma during a concert on a beach in Jinshan District.

Prosecutors said after the meeting, Li asked Ma for 100,000 yuan for mental anguish compensation and as payment for leaving Wu. Ma reported Li to the police.