The Chinese exchange student slashed on her way to her Queens school was the victim of a sick case of mistaken identity — as the attacker was hired by a jealous 26-year-old man to stab a different teen that he was dating.
The senseless violence in December left the innocent 16-year-old student with a wound that required 200 stitches and horrifying facial scars.
On Thursday, the attacker accused of stealing the teen’s beauty — and the creep who allegedly hired him to do the dirty work — were arrested, offering new answers to the baffling crime, police said.
Wilson Lai, 25 — who was busted for plotting the attack — had allegedly been dating a 14-year year -old Asian girl from Queens, according to police.
Lai thought she had been cheating on him, so he allegedly hired Devon Timothy Berkley, 37, of Pennsylvania to teach her a lesson by cutting her face, police sources said.
Berkley strapped on a surgical mask sliced an Asian teen as she walked to Whitestone Academy on Dec. 16, police said.
But he got the wrong girl, cops said.
Instead, he mistakenly slashed the face of 16-year-old Jia Jia Liang, cops said. She needed 200 stitches to close the gash on her face.
Liang had been staying at the home of the 14-year-old, as an exchange student, according to police.
The jealous boyfriend may have also plotted the attack because he was furious that the 14-year-old girl’s brother owed him money, police sources said.
Lai was charged with rape, assault, criminal sex act, criminal mischief, conspiracy, child endangerment, aggravated harassment and criminal possession of a weapon, cops said. The rape charge stemmed from his sexual relationship with a minor.
Lai has nine prior arrests, but those charges were not immediately available.
Berkley was arrested in Pennsylvania Thursday but hasn’t been charged. When Allentown cops searched his home, they found four guns and marijuana, police said.
Assemblyman Ron Kim spoke on Liang’s behalf Thursday.
“She’s trying to move on. She feels very grateful that the police were persistent and made an arrest,” Kim said.
“I’m grateful the 109 precinct followed every lead and waited until they had enough evidence to make an arrest.This attack was orchestrated by two deranged individuals and we’re glad they are off the street,” he said.
Liang could not be reached for comment immediately on Thursday.
“The wound is still very painful,” the shaken girl told The Post exclusively through a translator following the attack.
Berkley allegedly sliced her face and neck at 147th St. and 13th Ave. before dropping the boxcutter and fleeing, cops said.
Additional reporting by Natalie O’Neill