Detention comes after investigators search his Peak district home
04 February 2010
HONG KONG: The fengshui adviser whose bid to claim late tycoon Nina Wang’s property empire was ruled fraudulent was arrested yesterday.
Police detained Tony Chan, 50, after more than 10 investigators searched his US$30 million (S$42 million) home in Hong Kong’s upmarket Peak district yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Chan’s wife, Madam Tam Miu-ching, was also taken in for questioning, Ming Pao Daily News reported.
Police spokesman Anne Lam said police arrested Mr. Chan in connection with a document forgery case, Associated Press reported. Forgery carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison in Hong Kong.
Ms. Lam said officers also took computers and documents from his house.
Television footage showed a police motorcade leaving the three-storey complex where Mr. Chan lives, but many of the vehicles were curtained.
After Ms. Wang died of ovarian cancer in April 2007 at the age of 69, Mr. Chan emerged to say he was her lover and the mogul left him her fortune in a 2006 will.
Her Chinachem Charitable Foundation rubbished the claim, saying it was the legitimate heir in her 2002 will. Estimates of Ms. Wang’s estate have ranged from US$4 billion to US$13 billion.
Following a nine-month court battle covered blow-by-blow by the media, the High Court ruled on Tuesday that Mr. Chan’s will was forged, and awarded the estate to the foundation.
Judge Johnson Lam also described him as a liar who was prepared to say anything to back up his claim.
Many Hong Kongers cheered the ruling. A retiree identified only by her surname Chan told Oriental Daily News: ‘This is news that makes people happy.’
Furniture salesman Mr. Ko said: ‘It would have been an injustice if Tony Chan had won. I hope Chinachem can set aside more money for the welfare of Hong Kong.’
Mr. Chan insisted that the will was given to him by Ms. Wang. He said he would appeal against the verdict.
The fengshui practitioner, who had worked odd jobs including as a bartender and machinery salesman, befriended Ms. Wang in 1992 when she asked him to help find her kidnapped husband Teddy.
Despite the 20-year age gap, the two quickly became lovers, Mr. Chan said in his testimony during the nine-month court battle.
Ms. Wang, famous for being frugal despite running the sprawling Chinachem property empire she had built with her husband, allegedly paid him HK$2 billion (S$364 million) for fengshui advice.
The fengshui master’s wife, Madam Tam, 46, also testified during the trial. She said she had simply enjoyed her husband’s wealth and did not care where the money came from, news reports said.
They lead a luxurious lifestyle and have a mansion, luxury yachts, a helicopter and a private jet, according to reports. One of their three children is named ‘Wealthee’.
Mr. Chan now faces a triple whammy.
Besides losing the inheritance, he owes the costs of the trial. The city’s tax collector is also expected to bill him an eye-popping HK$300 million for the undeclared fees he was paid by Ms. Wang, the Standard newspaper reported yesterday.
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Nina Wang’s fengshui adviser held for forgery
Detention comes after investigators search his Peak district home
04 February 2010
HONG KONG: The fengshui adviser whose bid to claim late tycoon Nina Wang’s property empire was ruled fraudulent was arrested yesterday.
Police detained Tony Chan, 50, after more than 10 investigators searched his US$30 million (S$42 million) home in Hong Kong’s upmarket Peak district yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Chan’s wife, Madam Tam Miu-ching, was also taken in for questioning, Ming Pao Daily News reported.
Police spokesman Anne Lam said police arrested Mr. Chan in connection with a document forgery case, Associated Press reported. Forgery carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison in Hong Kong.
Ms. Lam said officers also took computers and documents from his house.
Television footage showed a police motorcade leaving the three-storey complex where Mr. Chan lives, but many of the vehicles were curtained.
After Ms. Wang died of ovarian cancer in April 2007 at the age of 69, Mr. Chan emerged to say he was her lover and the mogul left him her fortune in a 2006 will.
Her Chinachem Charitable Foundation rubbished the claim, saying it was the legitimate heir in her 2002 will. Estimates of Ms. Wang’s estate have ranged from US$4 billion to US$13 billion.
Following a nine-month court battle covered blow-by-blow by the media, the High Court ruled on Tuesday that Mr. Chan’s will was forged, and awarded the estate to the foundation.
Judge Johnson Lam also described him as a liar who was prepared to say anything to back up his claim.
Many Hong Kongers cheered the ruling. A retiree identified only by her surname Chan told Oriental Daily News: ‘This is news that makes people happy.’
Furniture salesman Mr. Ko said: ‘It would have been an injustice if Tony Chan had won. I hope Chinachem can set aside more money for the welfare of Hong Kong.’
Mr. Chan insisted that the will was given to him by Ms. Wang. He said he would appeal against the verdict.
The fengshui practitioner, who had worked odd jobs including as a bartender and machinery salesman, befriended Ms. Wang in 1992 when she asked him to help find her kidnapped husband Teddy.
Despite the 20-year age gap, the two quickly became lovers, Mr. Chan said in his testimony during the nine-month court battle.
Ms. Wang, famous for being frugal despite running the sprawling Chinachem property empire she had built with her husband, allegedly paid him HK$2 billion (S$364 million) for fengshui advice.
The fengshui master’s wife, Madam Tam, 46, also testified during the trial. She said she had simply enjoyed her husband’s wealth and did not care where the money came from, news reports said.
They lead a luxurious lifestyle and have a mansion, luxury yachts, a helicopter and a private jet, according to reports. One of their three children is named ‘Wealthee’.
Mr. Chan now faces a triple whammy.
Besides losing the inheritance, he owes the costs of the trial. The city’s tax collector is also expected to bill him an eye-popping HK$300 million for the undeclared fees he was paid by Ms. Wang, the Standard newspaper reported yesterday.
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