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SCMP Reporter

The ex-wife of wealthy hospital chief Dr Walton Li Wai-tat claimed yesterday she was facing bankruptcy despite a $22.6 million divorce payout.

 Evelyn Li Man-york, 50, said she might end up in a shelter for the homeless after her money was swallowed up by legal fees of around $7 million and other costs.

 She fears she may also have to pay the $9 million in legal fees claimed by her ex-husband. The Court of Appeal failed to make a ruling on costs in its verdict on her bid for a larger settlement last Friday.

 A further $14.5 million will be deducted from her award because she had failed to explain withdrawals from a joint account she shared with her husband, whose family was instrumental in establishing the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, the SAR's largest private hospital.

 'It's my husband who was unfaithful to me in the first place. Now I have to bear these debts and embarrassing criticism from the public,' she said.

 'I am going bankrupt due to the divorce and I may end up in a homeless shelter.'  The court rejected her claim to the matrimonial home in Chung Hom Kok, but said she could have two-thirds of the price it fetched if Dr Li sold it. It is worth an estimated $16 million.

 'I am not going to leave the house unless my ex-husband comes to evict me. I am so sorry the judge failed to accept my sentimental reasons for keeping the house which I have lived in for 19 years and has become the only security for the rest of my life.'  Ms Li said she had suffered a nervous breakdown because of the strain of the proceedings and had to rely on medicine prescribed by her psychiatrist.

 'There's no justice. And society gives no support to 'rich women'. I have been portrayed as a greedy woman trying to get every cent from the ex-husband's pocket.'  She said her ex-husband's lawyer had exaggerated her lifestyle and painted her as an extravagant woman.

 The lawyer had given the divorce court details such as how she ate bird's nest soup, the elaborate feeding of her Pekinese dog and her fondness for buying jewellery.

 'As the rich woman I was in the past, I saw no problem about spending money in that way - but this is not the issue here.

 'I lost everything in one night including my husband and my well-to-do life. My lifestyle as a lucky person who grew up in a rich family and then married a wealthy man was shattered.' She said her former husband chose to send her the divorce notice on their 23rd wedding anniversary in 1995 after she discovered his infidelity.

 Thereafter, he tried every way to prevent her from getting any joint family assets including freezing all the cash he had given her in their joint account, the divorcee alleged.

 'It is ridiculous that I was told 'hands off' the cash gifts which were part of my personal savings.

 'It's not fair for a rich man to use all his financial resources to hire the most famous divorce lawyer in Hong Kong to ambush his wife and to drive her into a dead end.'  Dr Li's lawyer was Audrey Eu Yuet-mee SC.

 Ms Li is planning to write a book for women who might face similar problems.

 'My personal experience is a typical example of how rich people in Hong Kong can use legal loopholes to their advantage to prevent their wives getting what they deserve in the case of a divorce,' she said.

 Dr Li, who works as deputy medical superintendent of the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, last night said $22.6 million was the most he could give, because he was only a doctor.

 'The house was bought by my parents for me. If the court says I could sell the house, I will consider doing so. Since the divorce, I have been living with my parents,' he said.

 'Our marriage had problems in the first place. It was not something that suddenly exploded because of a packet of condoms found in my office drawer. I had offered to settle the problem out of court with a higher amount than now ruled by the court, but it was she who wanted to embarrass me.' 



'I lost everything in one night including my husband and my well-to-do life'