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Cheung Chi-tai (in mask) outside Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho on Friday. Photo: Dickson Lee

Macau junket operator accused of money laundering over HK$640 million to be joined by another defendant

Unemployed woman makes first court appearance as Hong Kong authorities seek evidence from former Portuguese colony

Macau

A co-defendant is expected to join prominent Macau junket operator Cheung Chi-tai as he faces charges of laundering more than HK$640 million, with prosecutors hopeful of getting evidence from the former Portuguese colony, a Hong Kong court heard on Friday.

Cheung, 55, who until Friday morning faced three counts of money laundering, is to have his case heard with Amy Leung Yim-fun, who made her first court appearance on Friday at Eastern Court over one count of conspiracy to launder money.

Leung, 63, is accused of conspiring with someone nicknamed “Ming Gor” and others to handle HK$307.8 million believed to be ill-gotten, in her Bank of China account in Hong Kong.

Prosecutors asked to consolidate Leung and Cheung’s cases – both to be dealt with on September 26 – but did not spell out the pair’s connection.

Prosecutor Vincent Siu told acting principal magistrate Joseph To Ho-shing that the Department of Justice would withdraw one of the charges and amend the other two for Cheung, substantially reducing the amount he was accused of laundering, from HK$2 billion to HK$640 million.

The first amended charge against Cheung alleged that he dealt with HK$625 million involving a Bank of China account, believed to be proceeds of an indictable offence, between 2004 and 2010.

The other charge alleged that he dealt with HK$18.8 million involving another Bank of China account in Hong Kong.

Siu told the court there would be a hearing at the High Court on September 6 to decide if Hong Kong courts could get evidence from Macau.

To granted the amendments on the charges, but refused Leung’s request to leave Hong Kong for a birthday getaway when granting her bail. He told her she faced “extremely serious charges”.

Cheung and Leung were ordered to return to Eastern Court on September 26 for the consolidation procedure and for the case to be transferred to the District Court.

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