A former top executive of HSBC who told a United States senate hearing of his 'pain and embarrassment'' at the bank becoming a money-laundering conduit for drug cartels, rogue states and terrorist groups was born in Hong Kong and worked for the bank in the city for nearly 20 years.
Christopher Lok Chiu-hon, who appeared before the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations last Tuesday, joined the then Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in 1981.
After a career spanning three decades - the bulk of which was spent in Hong Kong and Asia before he moved to the US in 2001 - Lok stepped down in 2009 as HSBC global head of banknotes after it became apparent that problems existed in the bank's anti-money-laundering procedures in the US.
HSBC in Hong Kong declined to divulge any information about Lok's time with the bank in the city, citing 'privacy issues'. Spokesman Gareth Hewett said: 'We do not have anything to add to his testimony.'
At the hearing in Washington, Lok opened his testimony by saying: 'I was born and raised in Hong Kong. In 1981, I started working in the banknotes business, and that's what I did for 29 years ... for most of my career I was based in Asia.'
He went on to admit that, after moving to the US, at times he had dealt in an 'aggressive and harsh manner'' with colleagues in the bank's compliance section, which works to ensure that HSBC - one of the world's biggest banks - is not used by undesirable individuals, organisations or governments to launder money.
'Over a period of years, there were some occasions when I communicated with my colleagues in compliance in a manner that was unnecessarily aggressive and harsh. These communications were unprofessional, and I deeply regret them,'' he told the hearing chaired by Senator Carl Levin.