Slain Hong Kong model Abby Choi’s ex-husband jailed for 3½ years for HK$6.3 million gold theft
- Alex Kwong, 29, also jumped bail just before his 15-day trial began in November 2015
The former husband of slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung has been sentenced to 3½ years in jail for stealing HK$6.3 million (US$806,860) worth of gold and jewellery and escaping before his trial began in 2015.
The District Court on Wednesday jailed Alex Kwong Kong-chi on seven charges, including six counts of theft arising from a fraudulent scheme in which he lured investors into buying a variety of jewellery, then persuaded them to hand the items over so he could use them to speculate in the gold market.
The 29-year-old was also penalised on a seventh count of failing to surrender to custody, after jumping bail just before his 15-day trial began in November 2015.
Deputy Judge David Cheung Chi-wai said Kwong had carefully planned his crimes and was regularly searching for suitable targets to con over a 1½-year span before his escape in August of that year.
But Cheung stressed the accused was not prosecuted for the heavier offence of fraud, adding his alleged role in a separate criminal case had no bearing on the court’s sentencing.
The court awarded a 40 per cent reduction to Kwong’s five-year jail sentence after considering his guilty plea and full restitution made to the victims, but tagged on an extra six months for absconding.
