Hong Kong court hears Jimmy Lai’s finance chief approved payments to tycoon’s assistant without knowing where the money was to be spent

Royston Chow, former Next Digital chief financial officer, said he handed over millions of dollars to Lai’s assistant Mark Simon, but had no idea how it would be spent

Chow tells West Kowloon Court that Simon was also paid bonuses of between US$200,000 and US$300,000 a year for four years

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Royston Chow, a former chief financial officer at Jimmy Lai’s Next Digital (left), who is testifying at the tycoon’s trial on national security charges. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 8:40pm, 8 May 2024Updated: 12:45am, 9 May 2024

A former financial chief at Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s flagship media company has told a court he approved payments made to the tycoon’s assistant for personal “projects” without questioning their nature or what they were for.

Royston Chow Tat-kuen, a former Next Digital chief financial officer and chief operating officer, told West Kowloon Court on Wednesday he did not know what Lai’s assistant Mark Simon planned to do with the cash when he asked for money from the tycoon for his own use.

The court heard Chow received an email in April 2019 that asked for approval for Simon’s request for US$2 million from the tycoon’s personal bank account for an unspecified purpose.

Chow said he believed Simon, who formerly worked for US naval intelligence, had always obtained Lai’s approval before a request to release funds was made to him.

The West Kowloon Court trial of Jimmy Lai has heard his chief financial officer handed over millions of dollars to the tycoon’s assistant without knowledge of how the money was to be spent. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong court hears Jimmy Lai’s finance chief approved payments to tycoon’s assistant without knowing where the money was to be spent

Royston Chow, former Next Digital chief financial officer, said he handed over millions of dollars to Lai’s assistant Mark Simon, but had no idea how it would be spent Chow tells West Kowloon Court that Simon was also paid bonuses of between US$200,000 and US$300,000 a year for four years

Royston Chow, former Next Digital chief financial officer, said he handed over millions of dollars to Lai’s assistant Mark Simon, but had no idea how it would be spent

Chow tells West Kowloon Court that Simon was also paid bonuses of between US$200,000 and US$300,000 a year for four years