Lai 'poured money' into pro-democracy push

Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying had donated nearly HK$100 million to pro-democracy groups between 2013 and 2020, the prosecution told the court in the activist's collusion trial.

Lai, 76, was alleged to be the mastermind behind "Team Laam Caau" - mutual destruction in Cantonese - and offered financial support in calling on the foreign community to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong.

The team was founded by Finn Lau Cho-dik in June 2019, with the goal of protesters exhausting all means to damage the administration, the court heard.

Lai had continuously called on countries to sanction China in seditious articles, including on February 25, 2021, and said that world peace would not be achieved if China became too strong and unstoppable.

He said US President Joe Biden was "reaping the benefits" of lifting sanctions imposed against China by former President Donald Trump.

The trial, presided over by three national security judges, Esther Toh Lye-ping, Susana Maria D'Almada Remedios, and Alex Lee Wan-tang, without a jury, is expected to last 80 days.

The prosecution told the court that Lai's assistant Mark Simon received a total of HK$118.66 million from Lai on 86 occasions, between July 2013 and July 2020, among which HK$93.26 million, drawn in 72 transactions, was further dissipated to various Hong Kong pro-democracy figures and political parties.

Anthony Chau Tin-hang, deputy director of public prosecutions said that since June 2019, Lai conspired with Simon, legal assistant Chan Tsz-wah, Andy Li Yu-hin, Finn Lau, and Luke de Pulford, commissioner of the British Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, in requesting foreign countries to impose sanctions on China and the SAR, including suspending extradition arrangements with Hong Kong and stopping trade activities.

Chau said Lai was the mastermind of the syndicate, while Simon was the executor.

However, Chan was a middleman in conveying Lai's and Simon's messages to Li and Lau, the core members of the advocacy group Fight For Freedom Stand With Hong Kong founded in August 2019.

The prosecution said that from June 2019 until February 2021, the syndicate adopted various strategies, including the use of propaganda for foreign countries to impose sanctions.

Lai had reserved a HK$5 million publication fee for Chan's international propaganda campaign in June 2019.

He settled a HK$1.56 million fee to foreign media outlets for SWHK via two of his companies, Dico and Lais Hotel. Andy Li later reimbursed Lai the fund via a Taiwanese company.

Simon also assisted SWHK in processing about HK$3.16 million gathered from crowdfunding. The fund was deposited to Li's personal bank account.

Lai prepaid a publication fee of about HK$3.54 million to six foreign media.

He offered financial rewards to Chan, which included an HK$80,000 reward partly transferred from his off-shore company "Lacock Inc."

In November 2019, SWHK invited 19 foreign politicians, including Luke de Pulford and Lord Alton of Liverpool to observe the 2019 district council election in Hong Kong.

Li had a meeting with Alton, Pulford, and former Chief Secretary for Administration Anson Chan Fang On-sang and founding chairman of Democratic Party Martin Lee Chu-ming at W Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.

In December 2019, Lai arranged for Chan to meet with Hong Kong Watch's Benedict Rogers in London.

In the same month, upon invitation by Anson Chan, Andy Li joined a lunch gathering held by Andrew Heyn, British Consul General in Hong Kong, which was also attended by Martin Lee.

In January 2020, Anson Chan invited Li and Chan to exchange views on the protests for 30 minutes.

The case is adjourned to Monday upon the prosecution's request to discuss narrowing down the number of prosecution witnesses.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com