A HONG KONG solicitor has disappeared with a clients' trust fund which may have held up to $400 million, sparking a manhunt which could stretch across three continents.
Law Society officers have seized files belonging to Michael Kan Chi-ho and Commercial Crime Bureau investigators are questioning a number of the Mongkok firm's 700 clients. Police said one client had lost $10 million, which was deposited in the Michael Kan and Co client account.
Staff said Mr Kan, aged about 40, told them his elder brother was Paul Kan Man-lok, chairman of Hong Kong's second-largest telecommunications company, the $5 billion Champion Technology, and claimed his sister was senior crown counsel Mary Kan Ma-lai.
Commercial Crime Bureau's Inspector Tse Ka-lun said Mr Kan, who had practised from his Argyle Centre office for one year, may have gone to Canada with his Taiwanese wife and small daughter.
'We think after Canada he may move on to Central America. We have to confirm his identity with several embassies - the Canadian, US and Australian,' Inspector Tse said yesterday.
Staff of Michael Kan and Co said they had arrived at their office on August 30 after the three-day Liberation Day weekend to find their boss had cleaned out his desk and vanished.