Greedy stepsister with a grudge after family dispute jailed in Hong Kong for defrauding relatives
Woman who lost control of company sold jade worth no more than HK$1 million to co-conspirator’s firm for over HK$10 million
A woman blinded by greed and anger after a prolonged family dispute was jailed for two years and eight months on Friday for carrying out a HK$10 million fraud.
Judge Amanda Woodcock told May Tsang-yau, 62, and her co-defendant Sunny Wong Yat-man, also 62, that: “The case stemmed from, firstly, greed. Secondly, a sense of grievance fostered by years of civil ligation.”
The dispute centred on the estate of the late Dr Tsang Kwong-lik, Tsang-yau’s stepbrother, which included his company, Maryo Development.
The Court of Final Appeal ruled in 2009 after a protracted civil dispute that the company should be awarded to his natural mother, Leung Lai-fong, not stepmother Ho Sin-ying, Tsang-yau’s mother.
The case stemmed from, firstly, greed. Secondly, a sense of grievance fostered by years of civil ligation
On Leung’s death, control passed to the doctor’s natural sister, Chan Yui-ling. But Maryo, which was run by Tsang-yau, was not handed to Chan despite the top court’s ruling.
Instead, Tsang-yau teamed up with Wong, selling his company, Bright Jade, 200 pieces of jade for HK$10.13 million when they worth HK$1 million at most.