A feng shui master claiming to be the sole beneficiary of the late Hong Kong tycoon Nina Wang’s multi-billion dollar fortune kicked off a legal battle over her estate Monday.
Representatives of Chan Chun-chuen and Chinachem Charitable Foundation, run by Wang’s family, appeared in court for the first time over her estate after the former asked to appoint an administrator to manage her assets.
Chan’s lawyer, Jonathan Harris, reiterated Monday his wish to make the appointment after failing to reach an out-of-court settlement with the family of the former richest woman in Asia.
Wang, nicknamed “Little Sweetie” because of her resemblance to her favourite Japanese cartoon character, died in April this year from cancer with no heirs. She was 69.
In court, Harris also requested to remove the late mogul’s elderly father-in-law, Wang Din-shin, from the claim in Wang’s fortune as he has not been named in either will.
Little is known about Chan, a feng shui enthusiast and businessman. He is believed to be a billionaire himself, lives in a luxury home and studied medicine in Canada, reports said.
Mark Strachan, counsel for Wang’s family which includes her two sisters and one brother, told the court that they were unlikely to oppose the appointment of an administrator but requested two weeks to state their position.
The case has been adjourned until January 10 to give time for all parties to agree on who gets the job.
Outside the courthouse, one of Chan’s lawyers, Jonathan Midgley, said he was pleased with the decision. “We do not want there to be a litigation…there should be a solution of this matter sooner rather than later, without a fight,” he told reporters. “All we talk about in this case is the will of Mrs Wang. Who did she want to inherit her estate? That matter ought to be cleared up. It doesn’t need an argument.”
Ahead of the hearing, Midgley maintained that Chan, 46, was the sole beneficiary of Wang’s fortune, estimated at USD 4.2 billion, according to a will written in 2006. Meanwhile, Wang’s family issued a writ in April claiming her 2002 will, which reportedly says a majority of her assets should be used for charitable purposes, is final and valid.
Strachan did not make any comments outside the courthouse.