A man has been charged with blackmail for attempting to use a video tape of him having sex with his ex-girlfriend to extort 13,000 yuan (US$1,900.58) from the woman, prosecutors said over the weekend.

The man, surnamed Lin, 27, faces up to three years in jail if found guilty, the Pudong New Area Prosecutors' Office said.

The woman, surnamed Zhou, 26, met Lin in June 2009 and the two fell in love. But Zhou broke up with Lin in January because she found he always got angry easily and played computer games too often.

Trying to win his ex-girlfriend's heart back, Lin sent dozens of e-mails expressing his love in the following four months.

Zhou never replied until she received three sample video clips from Lin in May, each showing the couple having sex.

"The tape is so funny that I really want to share it with my friends," Lin allegedly said to Zhou in a half-joking manner after sending the video clips to her.

Zhou was so frightened by Lin's words that she agreed to meet Lin at his apartment the next day, at his request.

"My life would be ruined if he spread the tape via the Internet," Zhou told prosecutors. "I couldn't sleep well that night as I was so worried about what he would do."

Zhou also feared that Lin would use the tape to force her to have sex with him again, prosecutors said.

Before going to his apartment, Zhou sent Lin a text message, asking him whether 13,000 yuan was enough to solve the problem.

Lin agreed to take the money and give her the tape, prosecutors said.

Zhou then called police, who later caught Lin at his apartment.

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