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A man convicted of fraud, theft, robbery, blackmail, indecent assault and rape was sentenced on Friday at the High Court to 11 years in jail. Photo: Felix Wong/SCMP

Hong Kong man gets 11 years’ jail for rape, robbery, fraud and blackmail – and then demands return of winning betting ticket used as evidence

  • Ko Wai-kin, 34, sent to prison after exploiting victim by ‘extremely despicable means’ but was more concerned about HK$30,000 soccer match winnings

An unemployed Hong Kong man who raped, robbed and cheated a young woman out of HK$220,000 (US$28,200) while posing as a rich American businessman demanded prosecutors return a winning betting ticket even after he was jailed for 11 years on Friday.

Ko Wai-kin, 34, was found guilty by a jury of five men and two women on 13 charges of fraud, theft, robbery, blackmail, indecent assault and rape after five hours of deliberations.

On a separate count of fraud, Ko admitted swindling HK$500 out of an Uber driver in September 2016.

Madam Justice Maggie Poon Man-kay slammed Ko for exploiting the woman’s innocence with “extremely despicable means” until the victim lost nearly all of her savings and developed depression as she had to repay loans.

But Ko appeared impassive and demanded prosecutors return a Jockey Club soccer betting ticket – admitted as evidence – which had won him HK$30,000 (US$3,840) over a soccer match between Stoke City and Swansea City on October 31, 2016.

Hong Kong man posed as US businessman to rape, rob and blackmail woman

“He’s still asking for it?” the judge said. “No. He’s already very lucky that I haven’t ordered any compensation.”

The Post understands that prosecutors will mount further charges against Ko at the District Court over cases involving other victims.

The High Court previously heard that the pair first crossed paths at the bureau de change in Hong Kong International Airport in September 2016, when the woman handled a money exchange request from Ko.

He’s still asking for it? No. He’s already very lucky that I haven’t ordered any compensation
Justice Maggie Poon

The man gave her a false name and pretended he was an American citizen stranded in the city after losing his identity documents – and tricked her into renting a room at a five-star hotel.

From there, Ko made further requests for HK$20,000 to cover living expenses and told lies to make her buy him a new Samsung Galaxy Note 7, worth HK$6,420.

He also asked her to set up a Jockey Club betting account for him to keep the money and reassured her that his company in the United States would wire funds to Hong Kong for him to pay her back.

But he then claimed there was trouble at his office that prevented him from collecting the funds and asked for another HK$20,000 before he tricked her into posing for nude photos at his hotel, where he further molested and raped her.

Chef forced prostitute to make indecent videos then blackmailed her

With the photos he further threatened the woman into renting him a serviced apartment, taking out loans and paying deposits for property.

He also threatened to assault her if she refused to hand over her bank card after he made her link her account with the one at the Jockey Club.

Having robbed the woman of her access to the HSBC account, he took out multiple sums to finance his gambling without her knowledge.

Ko was finally arrested on October 31, 2016, after the woman called police.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Rapist on way to prison wants his betting ticket back
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