Police Arrest People for Money Crimes in Hong Kong

May 15, 2026, 07:02
AsiaFinance
A2

Police Arrest People for Money Crimes in Hong Kong

Introduction

Police in Hong Kong arrested two people for stealing money. The court also stopped a businessman from using his money.

Main Body

Police arrested Jason Kong and his wife. They lied to the government to get loan money during the pandemic. Jason put some of this money into his own bank account. Jason also helped people in a building called Wang Fuk Court. He wanted a meeting for the residents. But the building managers did not want to talk to him. In another case, a court stopped Chen Zhi from using his money. He has more than 9 billion Hong Kong dollars. The police say he ran a big scam to steal money from people. He has expensive houses and a big company.

Conclusion

The police still hold Jason Kong and his wife. A judge will talk about Chen Zhi's money on August 3.

Learning

🕵️‍♂️ Money Action Words

In this story, we see how people get and lose money. Let's look at these simple patterns:

1. Taking money (Bad way)

  • Stealing → Taking something that is not yours.
  • Scam → Tricking people to take their money.
  • Lied to get → Saying something false to receive money.

2. Stopping money

  • Stopped from using → The court says: "No! You cannot touch your money."

3. Where is the money?

  • Into his bank account → The money moves from one place into another.

💡 Simple Tip for A2: When talking about the past, most words just add -ed.

  • Arrest → Arrested
  • Lie → Lied
  • Want → Wanted

Vocabulary Learning

police (n.)
Law enforcement officers who protect people
Example:The police arrived quickly after the accident.
arrested (v.)
To take someone into custody
Example:The police arrested the suspect.
people (n.)
Human beings
Example:Many people went to the market.
money (n.)
Currency used for buying goods
Example:She saved her money in a bank.
court (n.)
Place where legal cases are heard
Example:The case will be heard in court.
stopped (v.)
To cease or halt
Example:The traffic stopped at the red light.
businessman (n.)
A man who runs a business
Example:The businessman owns several shops.
loan (n.)
Money borrowed that must be paid back
Example:He took a loan to buy a car.
pandemic (n.)
A disease that spreads worldwide
Example:The pandemic caused many changes.
bank (n.)
A place where money is kept
Example:She deposited her money at the bank.
account (n.)
Record of money in a bank
Example:Check your account balance.
building (n.)
A structure with rooms
Example:The building is old.
residents (n.)
People who live in a place
Example:The residents signed the notice.
managers (n.)
People who run an organization
Example:The managers gave instructions.
case (n.)
A situation or example
Example:This is a strange case.
scam (n.)
A dishonest trick to get money
Example:He was caught in a scam.
expensive (adj.)
Costing a lot of money
Example:The car is expensive.
houses (n.)
Places where people live
Example:They have three houses.
company (n.)
Business organization
Example:The company hired new staff.
judge (n.)
Person who decides a case
Example:The judge listened carefully.
talk (v.)
To speak with someone
Example:We will talk about the plan.
August (n.)
Month of the year
Example:We meet in August.
helped (v.)
To give assistance
Example:She helped him with the task.
meeting (n.)
Gathering to discuss
Example:The meeting starts at nine.
wanted (v.)
To desire
Example:He wanted to go home.
hold (v.)
To keep in custody
Example:The police hold the suspect.
big (adj.)
Large in size or importance
Example:They have a big house.
more (adj.)
Greater in amount
Example:She has more books.
government (n.)
Body that runs a country
Example:The government made new rules.
get (v.)
To obtain
Example:He will get a new job.
during (prep.)
While something happens
Example:During the meeting, we discussed plans.
B2

Legal Actions Against Financial Fraud and Asset Seizures in Hong Kong

Introduction

Recent police and court actions in Hong Kong have led to the arrest of two people for loan fraud and the freezing of large amounts of money linked to an international criminal network.

Main Body

Police have arrested Jason Kong Cheung-fat and his wife, who are both directors of Ace Interior Design & Engineering Company. They are accused of money laundering and fraud related to a government loan scheme created during the pandemic. Authorities claim that Mr. Kong changed his company's financial records to make it look like the business was losing money, which allowed him to get several hundred thousand dollars in loans. Some of this money was then moved into his personal bank accounts. Meanwhile, Mr. Kong has also been trying to help residents of the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court by asking for a meeting about resettlement, although the management company has refused to deal with him individually. At the same time, the High Court has ordered the freezing of more than HK$9 billion in assets belonging to Chen Zhi, a businessman currently held in China. Following an application by the Department of Justice, assets belonging to Chen and 42 other associates have been blocked. These assets include expensive properties on The Peak and Kimberley Road, as well as funds from Prince Global Holdings. Furthermore, the US Department of the Treasury has labeled Chen's network as an international criminal organization. Other associates, including Zhou Yun, Li Thet, and Wu Anming, have also had their assets frozen due to their roles in Chen's large-scale online scam network.

Conclusion

Currently, the Kongs remain in custody for financial fraud, and a court hearing is scheduled for August 3 to decide if the asset freezes in the Chen Zhi case should be extended.

Learning

⚡ The 'B2 Power-Up': Moving from Simple to Complex Actions

At the A2 level, you usually say what happened using simple verbs (e.g., "The police stopped the money"). To reach B2, you need to use Collocations—words that naturally 'stick together' in professional or legal contexts.

Look at these shifts from the text:

  • A2 Style: Stop money/assets →\rightarrow B2 Style: Freeze assets
  • A2 Style: Change records →\rightarrow B2 Style: Falsify financial records (implied by 'changed... to make it look like')
  • A2 Style: Caught by police →\rightarrow B2 Style: Remain in custody

🧩 Logic Connectors: The Glue of Fluency

B2 speakers don't just list facts; they show the relationship between ideas. Notice how the article uses Furthermore and Meanwhile.

  1. Meanwhile →\rightarrow Use this when two different things are happening at the same time.
    • Example: Jason Kong is in jail; meanwhile, he is trying to help residents.
  2. Furthermore →\rightarrow Use this to add a more important or serious point to your argument.
    • Example: The court froze the money. Furthermore, the US Treasury labeled him a criminal.

💡 Quick Grammar Hack: The Passive Voice for Authority

In the phrase "assets... have been blocked," the focus is not on who did it, but what happened to the money.

A2: The government blocked the assets. (Simple Subject →\rightarrow Verb →\rightarrow Object) B2: Assets have been blocked. (Object →\rightarrow Verb)

Why do this? It makes your English sound more formal, objective, and professional—exactly what is required for the B2 level.

Vocabulary Learning

arrested (v.)
to be taken into custody by law enforcement
Example:The police arrested the suspect after gathering evidence.
directors (n.)
people who manage a company
Example:The directors of the firm announced a new policy.
laundering (n.)
the process of disguising the origins of illegally obtained money
Example:The company was accused of money laundering.
fraud (n.)
deception intended to secure an unfair advantage
Example:He was charged with fraud for falsifying documents.
scheme (n.)
a plan or program, often for a specific purpose
Example:The government launched a new housing scheme.
pandemic (n.)
a widespread outbreak of disease
Example:The pandemic caused many businesses to close.
financial (adj.)
relating to money or economics
Example:Financial analysts predicted a market downturn.
records (n.)
written or recorded information
Example:The accountant reviewed the company's records.
resettlement (n.)
the act of moving people to a new place
Example:Resettlement plans were discussed after the disaster.
freezing (n.)
the act of preventing assets from being used
Example:The court ordered the freezing of assets.
assets (n.)
property owned by a person or company
Example:The company sold its assets to pay debts.
justice (n.)
the principle of fairness and law
Example:The justice system ensures accountability.
blocked (v.)
prevented from moving or being accessed
Example:The bank blocked the account after suspicious activity.
organization (n.)
a group of people working together
Example:The organization provided aid to refugees.
scam (n.)
a dishonest scheme to cheat people
Example:The online scam targeted elderly investors.
C2

Legal Proceedings Concerning Financial Irregularities and Asset Seizures in Hong Kong

Introduction

Recent judicial and law enforcement actions in Hong Kong have resulted in the arrest of two individuals for loan fraud and the freezing of significant assets linked to a transnational criminal network.

Main Body

Law enforcement authorities have detained Jason Kong Cheung-fat and his spouse, both directors of Ace Interior Design & Engineering Company. The arrests pertain to allegations of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud involving the Special 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme, a pandemic-era fiscal relief measure. It is alleged that Mr. Kong falsified revenue records for the first quarter of 2020 to simulate a requisite decline in turnover, thereby securing several hundred thousand dollars in loans. A portion of these funds was reportedly diverted to Mr. Kong's personal accounts. Concurrently, Mr. Kong has been active in advocating for the residents of the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court, recently delivering a petition to the administrator, Hop On Management, to request a general meeting regarding resettlement. Hop On Management has declined to engage with specific individuals, citing a mandate to represent the collective ownership. Parallel to these domestic arrests, the High Court has issued an order to freeze assets exceeding HK$9 billion associated with Chen Zhi, a Chinese-born businessman currently detained in China following extradition from Cambodia. The Department of Justice's application led to the restriction of assets for 42 respondents, including Chen and several associates. The frozen holdings include high-value real estate on The Peak and Kimberley Road, as well as funds held by Prince Global Holdings. The US Department of the Treasury has designated Chen's network as a transnational criminal organization. Additional asset freezes were applied to associates Zhou Yun, Li Thet, and Wu Anming, reflecting the scale of the alleged online scam network operated by Chen.

Conclusion

The current situation involves the ongoing detention of the Kongs for financial fraud and a pending court hearing on August 3 to address the extension of asset freezes related to the Chen Zhi case.

Learning

The Architecture of Legal Euphemism & Nominalization

To move from B2 to C2, a student must stop describing actions and start describing states of legality. The provided text is a masterclass in Nominalization—the process of turning verbs (actions) into nouns (concepts) to create an objective, detached, and authoritative tone.

⚡ The 'Action' vs. 'Institution' Pivot

Observe the transformation from a B2-level narrative to the C2-level legal register found in the text:

  • B2 Style (Action-oriented): The government froze the assets because they think Chen Zhi committed a crime.
  • C2 Style (Nominalized): The High Court has issued an order to freeze assets... reflecting the scale of the alleged online scam network.

The Linguistic Shift: The focus moves from the person (the government) to the instrument (the order). This is the hallmark of academic and legal English: the "depersonalization" of the agent to emphasize the process.

🔍 Precision via 'Collocational Density'

C2 mastery requires an intuitive grasp of high-level collocations. The text utilizes specific word pairings that are non-negotiable in professional discourse:

"Simulate a requisite decline in turnover"

Breakdown of the sophistication:

  1. Simulate: Used here not as 'pretend,' but as 'to create a false appearance of a specific metric.'
  2. Requisite: A sophisticated alternative to 'necessary' or 'required,' implying a formal prerequisite.
  3. Turnover: The precise commercial term for gross revenue, far superior to 'money made.'

⚖️ Nuance: The 'Allegation' Hedge

Notice the strategic use of "pertain to," "allegations of," and "reportedly."

At B2, students often use "maybe" or "they say." At C2, we use Epistemic Modality. By stating that arrests "pertain to allegations," the writer creates a legal firewall, ensuring the text remains factual regarding the process without declaring the guilt of the accused. This is the critical distinction between 'telling a story' and 'reporting a judicial proceeding.'

Key Linguistic Takeaway for C2: Stop using verbs to drive your sentences. Instead, build your sentences around complex noun phrases (e.g., "the restriction of assets for 42 respondents"). This shifts the weight of the sentence from the actor to the event, granting your writing the requisite gravitas for high-level professional contexts.

Vocabulary Learning

transnational
Spanning or operating across multiple countries.
Example:The investigation uncovered a transnational criminal network involved in money laundering.
falsified
Altered or fabricated to misrepresent facts.
Example:He falsified revenue records to conceal the decline in turnover.
conspiracy
A secret plan by two or more people to commit wrongdoing.
Example:The charges included conspiracy to defraud the Special 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme.
defraud
To deceive someone to obtain money or property.
Example:The scheme was designed to defraud unsuspecting borrowers.
fiscal
Relating to government finances or taxation.
Example:The pandemic‑era fiscal relief measure was intended to support small businesses.
mandate
An official command or instruction.
Example:The administration cited a mandate to represent the collective ownership.
collective
Shared or common among a group.
Example:The collective ownership of the residents required a joint decision.
extradition
The legal process of handing over a suspect to another jurisdiction.
Example:Chen was extradited from Cambodia to China.
restriction
A limitation or prohibition imposed on something.
Example:The Department of Justice applied a restriction on the assets of 42 respondents.
designated
Officially named or identified for a particular purpose.
Example:The Treasury designated Chen's network as a transnational criminal organization.
resettlement
The act of relocating people to a new place.
Example:The petition requested a meeting to discuss the resettlement of residents.
petition
A formal written request to an authority.
Example:The residents submitted a petition to the administrator.
high-value
Of great monetary worth.
Example:The frozen holdings included high-value real estate on The Peak.
freeze
To prohibit the use or transfer of assets.
Example:The court ordered the freeze of assets exceeding HK$9 billion.
pending
Awaiting a decision or outcome.
Example:There is a pending court hearing on August 3.