Peter Chan (businessman)

Tony Chan Chun-chuen
陳振聰
Born (1959-12-23) 23 December 1959
Alma mater Colégio Mateus Ricci
Religion Christianity
Spouse(s) Tam Miu-ching (譚妙清)
Parent(s) Patrick Chan Yu-nam (陳汝楠)

Peter Chan Chun-chuen (born 23 December 1959), earlier known as Tony Chan, is a Hong Kong businessman and the former Feng shui geomancer to the late Nina Wang, who at the time of her death was chair of Chinachem Group and Asia's richest woman.[1][2][3] He laid claim to Wang's HK$83 billion estate after she died from ovarian cancer in 2007, claiming to have been her lover.[4]

Personal life and business activities

Chan was born in Hong Kong with family roots in Xinhui, Guangdong. He is a partial owner, along with Wang's estate, of RCG Holdings Limited (LSE: RCG, SEHK: 802), a biometrics and RFID solution provider which was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in February 2009.[5][6] He is married to Tam Miu-chung; their first child, Wealthee Chan, was born in 1993.[7] In March 2013, Tony Chan was baptised as a Christian and took the name Peter Chan on the occasion of his conversion. He stated that he began considering conversion when his driver quit in 2012 and gave him a Bible as a parting gift. He also indicated that he would no longer practise feng shui after his conversion.[8]

Estate battle

After Nina Wang's death in 2007, Chan presented a 2006 document purporting to be her last will and testament, which left all of her assets to him. This would have been a complete reversal of Wang's earlier 2002 will, in which she stated that she wished to bequeath her fortune to Chinachem Charitable Foundation, a trust run by her family. On 2 February 2010, the Hong Kong High Court ruled that Wang's estate belonged to the Foundation and not to Chan.[9]

Justice Johnson Lam said Chan was "untruthful, unreliable and lacking in credibility". He further stated: "I do not find him to be a credible witness and I find in many respects his evidence was tailored to suit his convenience. I do not believe what he testified regarding the provenance of the 2006 will. Apart from my general assessment of his credibility, I also find his evidence incredible."[10]

The judge found Wang's signature on the 2006 will relied on by Tony Chan to be "a highly skilled simulation",[11] on the basis of which the Hong Kong Police arrested Tony Chan the next day.[12]

He was released on HK$5 million (US$640,000) bail.[13] Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department issued a demand for HK$300 million in back taxes on income he is alleged to have received from Wang for feng shui services, sums which Chan claims were gifts from his lover.[14]

Criminal case

On 4 July 2013, Chan was convicted of two criminal fraud charges in a jury trial. He was convicted of forging the will and of using a false document by majority verdicts. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He filed for leave to appeal against his conviction the following week.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Nina Wang's fortune-teller lays claim to her estate". Channel NewsAsia. 20 April 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  2. ↑ Spencer, Richard (21 April 2007). "£2bn fortune-teller vanishes over battle of wills". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  3. ↑ "Tony Chan Chun-chuen Foresees Nina Wangs's Fortune". The Insider. 2007-04-20. Archived from the original on 20 November 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  4. 1 2 Chiu, Austin (11 July 2013). "Jailed fung shui master Peter Chan to appeal conviction". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "RCG Holdings Limited". Finance.google.co.uk. 14 January 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "EUROPE-RCG Holdings up on bullish update". Reuters. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Change my name, pleads poor Wealthee". The Standard. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Cheung, Tony (7 March 2013). "Tony Chan embraces Christianity, rejects fung shui and is now Peter". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  9. ↑ "Feng shui master denied Nina Wang fortune in Hong Kong". BBC News. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  10. ↑ Wong, Adele (3 February 2010). "A liar prepared to say anything". The Standard. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  11. ↑ Chinachem Charitable Foundation Ltd v. Tony Chan and others, HCAP 8/2007
  12. ↑ "Cops grab Chan". The Standard. Hong Kong. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  13. ↑ "Tony Chan released on HK$5m bail". The Standard. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  14. ↑ Moy, Patsy (3 February 2010). "Cops eye 'Liar' Chan ... as taxman set to chase him for $300m". The Standard. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
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