The costs of self-styled fung shui master Tony Chan Chun-chuen's botched attempt to claim the fortune of Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum have risen to more than HK$230 million, not counting his own legal expenses.
The Court of Final Appeal yesterday awarded the Chinachem Charitable Foundation - Chan's rival in the legal battle - costs of HK$2 million in legal fees incurred over his unsuccessful application to take the case to the top court. Together with earlier orders, that raised Chan's bill to more than HK$230 million.
Wang, former chairwoman of Chinachem, died of cancer in 2007. She left an estimated HK$50 billion. The Court of Final Appeal ruled last year that a 2006 document that Chan claimed was Wang's will leaving him her entire fortune was a forgery.
The sum ordered yesterday was HK$500,000 less than the foundation had sought.
Chan already faces claims of HK$13 million for the foundation's expenses in the Court of Appeal and HK$80 million in the Court of First Instance. He was also ordered to pay HK$130 million to the joint administrator of Wang's estate and costs to the Secretary for Justice.
The ruling came as Chan is fighting an application by the foundation to have him declared bankrupt for failing to pay HK$80 million in legal fees. He has had six of his properties put up as security for the payment to the estate administrator.
