A routine legal bid to wind up a company took on a dramatic twist when new evidence implied creditors were victims of a hoax.
Bogus financial statements had been used to lure investments of at least US$2 million in the company facing liquidation, the Pacific Asia Group, it was alleged at the Court of First Instance.
Director Stephen Chik Wai-wan is accused of copying the letterhead from an accountancy firm to stick on to financial statements.
Such statements were used to persuade Sunchase International Group (China) to invest $2 million in the company, barrister for Sunchase Peter Graham told the court yesterday.
'It does appear to the untrained eye that these are all photocopies of the same particular signature' from the accountants' firm Moore Stephens, Mr Graham said.
A letter purportedly from the firm was handed to Sunchase in 1994 when it was persuaded to buy the $2 million shares in Pacific Asia, he said.
As far as his client was concerned, none of the information - such as profit and loss accounts and consolidated balance sheets - could be relied upon 'because it is contained in false documents'.
