Ex-girlfriend accuses Stephen Chow of using 'corporate veil' to avoid payout

The High Court yesterday began hearing a claim by the former girlfriend of comedian Stephen Chow Sing-chi that he is trying to hide behind his corporation to avoid paying her HK$80 million in commission.

Barristers for Alice Yu Man-fung and Star Royale, which owns the house in which Chow lives, argued whether the company should be struck out as the second defendant in the case.

According to a writ Yu filed with the High Court last year, Chow, the first defendant, benefited from Yu's financial skills and advice throughout the 13 years they were together. In return, he paid her a salary plus a commission.

Yu's suit involves one of four properties in a development on Pollock's Path on The Peak. Called Skyhigh, the development is a joint venture between Star Royale and Ryoden Development. Three of the properties have been sold - the third, owned by Ryoden, for a record HK$800 million in May 2011.

The fourth, owned by Star Royale and Chow's current home, has yet to be sold. Yu is suing for a 10 per cent commission in expectation that Chow's home, if and when it is sold, will also fetch HK$800 million.

Yu claims that Chow would not have been involved in the highly lucrative development at Skyhigh without her assistance.

But the barrister representing Star Royale, Lisa Wong Kwok-ying, said that because Chow is not a director of Star Royale, the company should be struck out of the case because the dispute is only between Yu and Chow.