JPEX suspect Joseph Lam mocks girlfriend Hiromi Wada’s ‘ugly’ court photo

While facing 33 fraud and money-laundering charges in the JPEX crypto scandal, influencer Joseph Lam Chok used social media to poke fun at tabloid front pages showing an unflattering image of his girlfriend, Hiromi Wada, outside court—then blocked her from seeing the post—prompting her to blast photographers for picking the worst shot after she had paused to help them.

Eight defendants, including Lam and online personality Chan Wing Yee, appeared at Eastern District Court on November 6 without entering pleas. One was remanded, but Lam and Chen were released on HK$300,000 bail each, with the remaining five on bonds of HK$50,000 to HK$100,000.

Hiromi Wada, Lam’s 38-year-old partner, had quietly attended the hearing, yet found herself the unwilling cover star when several outlets ran a harsh snapshot of her waiting outside.

Lam reposted the images in a private story, joking that the photo made her look swollen and matronly—far from a stylish woman in her late thirties—and blamed recent cosmetic trips to Korea.

To avoid upsetting her, he ensured she could not view the content.

Wada fired back online, revealing that reporters had messaged early, pleading for a quick pose after a long stakeout.

She stopped to cooperate, only to see them select the most unflattering frame. Furious, she declared future requests would be ignored.