Singer Tommy Yuen, formerly with Canto-pop’s E-kids, arrested by Hong Kong national security police on suspicion of money laundering and acting with seditious intent

Yuen is accused of raising HK$1 million on pretext of helping arrested protesters but then spending part of it himself, including at the racetrack

Police also claim singer posted messages online aimed at stirring up hatred of government and judiciary, as well as persuading residents to flout anti-pandemic measures

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Hong Kong singer and outspoken supporter of the anti-government movement Tommy Yuen. Photo: Tommy Yuen Instagram

Published: 8:06pm, 15 Feb 2022Updated: 8:38pm, 15 Feb 2022

Hong Kong singer and outspoken supporter of the anti-government movement Tommy Yuen Man-on has been arrested by national security police on suspicion of money laundering and acting with seditious intent, the Post has learned.

Police on Tuesday said officers had detained a 41-year-old singer and his 20-year-old assistant in the afternoon, with a source identifying the former as Yuen, a member of the defunct Canto-pop boy band E-kids, formed in 2002.

Senior Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah said the singer was accused of using money raised online ostensibly to support protesters arrested during the social unrest in 2019 for his own personal use, including gambling.

HK$1 million (US$128,200) was raised through Yuen’s social media platforms between March and November 2021 and deposited into a bank account belonging to the assistant, who was also arrested for money laundering, police said. According to the insider, the second person was Yuen’s former brother-in-law.

The force insider said all the money was then transferred to Yuen’s bank account.

“About HK$340,000 was withdrawn in cash on dozens of occasions over the nine-month period. We are still investigating what it was used for,” the source said, adding no evidence suggested any of the remaining HK$660,000 went to arrested protesters.