He was giving evidence on the second day of the trial of four men accused of fraud in what has been described as Hong Kong's biggest pyramid-selling case. The court has heard that it involved $7 billion and 14,000 victims, and returns of up to 3,300 per cent were promised.

Promail International (Hong Kong) managing director Kwok Chi-kwai, 37, director Shee Yip-shing, 33, marketing manager Chan Kei-suen (alias KK), 28, and the planner and boss, Tan Lam-chuen, 39, have all denied charges of conspiracy to defraud.

Mr Au told a jury presided over by deputy High Court Judge Judianna Barnes Wai-ling that he became optimistic about the high level of returns after his cousin Ng Fung-yee and a friend, Ho Ching, took him to Promail's Mongkok office in September 2000.

Mr Au said that he was told he only needed to contribute $11,000 to reap net returns of about $140,000 14 months later. He bought two shares in the company's Plan D, paying $7,188 on September 5, 2000 and $7,000 two days later. At the time he was earning $9,500 a month.

He said he was told to pay an extra $2,000 on October 9 the same year to complete all payments due, in the hope that the money would automatically accumulate without any further action on his part.

Questioned by prosecutor Christopher Coghlan, Mr Au said third defendant Chan Kei-suen had told him at a seminar on September 4, 2000 that the company operated a large-scale supermarket business dealing in 'all kinds of goods' ranging from 'clothing, food, daily necessities and travel businesses'.

Mr Au, educated to Form Three and illiterate, said Ms Ng and her friend Ho Ching did most of the paper work by filling the 'international order forms' for him.

'They once told me all they needed to do was to write a few squiggles ... as my signature,' he said.

Mr Au recalled that he was rewarded with supermarket coupons. But he could not recall the number or the value of the coupons and payments made to him.

The trial continues tomorrow.