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Dr Franklin Li was arrested on suspicion of breaking the rules on the use of dangerous drugs and misleading police. Photo: Sam Tsang

Top Hong Kong banker named as woman who died after Botox injections

  • Zoe Cheung was managing director of Swiss private bank Julius Baer in city
  • Dr Franklin Li, 86, still in custody following arrest on suspicion of breaking rules on use of dangerous drugs

A top Hong Kong banker has been identified as the woman who died after getting Botox injections in the city on Monday.

Zoe Cheung Shuk-ling, 52, was the managing director of Swiss private bank Julius Baer in the city, according to a police source.

She was certified dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei on Monday morning after collapsing at the clinic of 86-year-old Dr Franklin Li Wang-pong in Tsim Sha Tsui the previous day.

Lam Yuen-ling, chief inspector of Yau Tsim district, said dangerous drugs were found in the clinic, which did not keep a register of drug quantities it held, as required by law.

Li was arrested on suspicion of breaking the rules on the use of dangerous drugs and misleading police. On Tuesday, Li was still in police custody, and was expected to be released on bail.

The Medical Council, an independent body that regulates local doctors, struck Li’s name off the practitioners’ register for five months after finding him guilty of professional misconduct on three charges in 2009.

They related to the death in 2003 of 70-year-old piano teacher Lam King-fong, who collapsed during a liposuction procedure at Li’s clinic and died soon after.

The coroner concluded she died as a result of misadventure.

There is no retirement age for Hong Kong doctors. They can practise in the city as long as their name is on the register.

Botox, or botulinum toxin, is frequently applied in cosmetic procedures to prevent wrinkles or to slim targeted areas by paralysing muscles. A police source said Cheung, a regular customer at the clinic, received about 16 shots of Botox to her jaw, chin and above her brow.

Julius Baer confirmed Cheung was a managing director and senior relationship manager at the bank, but refused to comment further.

“We have sent our deepest condolences to her family. With due respect, we will not comment further,” a spokeswoman said.

Banking industry sources said the victim was formerly a veteran at Merrill Lynch, which had 18 of its international wealth management businesses acquired by Julius Baer in 2015.

They said Cheung was a nice person and they were all saddened by the news.

“[I] guess most people in the banking industry care much about their look,” one of them said.

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