Actor's ex 'wanted fees as proof of job to brother'

Alice Yu Man-fung, the former girlfriend of film director and actor Stephen Chow Sing-chi, told the high court yesterday that she requested commissions for making investments to prove to her brother that she would not work for nothing.

Yu, who was with Chow between 1997 and 2010, is suing the actor for HK$70 million in commission fees over investments in properties and funds.

Yu told judge Russel Coleman that between 1997 and 2002 she was willing to help Chow with property investments without any remuneration in return due to their romantic relationship.

In 2002, Chow asked Yu to quit her brother Yu Shu-kuen's company and join his company, Star Royale, full-time instead.When they signed their first contract on April 1 that year, Yu said she did not pay attention to the terms.

The contract did not state that she would receive a 10 percent bonus from after-tax profits made in successful investments as commission.

Yu said both of them had discussed the percentage of commission in conversation and text messages over the phone around Christmas that year.

She added that she had sent a text message "10% on profit sharing" to Chow and he replied "OK."

Chow's lawyer, Bernard Man, questioned why wasn't the agreement drafted on paper. Yu replied it was because she trusted Chow completely.

The hearing continues today.