Key facts
- A Hong Kong court dismissed a HK$12 million claim against actress Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi.
- The claim was brought by her former agent, Asia Entertainment Group (AEG).
- The court found that Cheung had not signed the alleged agency contract she was accused of breaching.
- The court also found that Cheung had not received an advance payment for her services.
- The judge questioned the authenticity of a 2011 exclusive management contract, suggesting it may have been created to avoid tax liabilities.
- The agent, Samuel Yu Yuk-hing, was found to be an incredible witness and evasive.
A Hong Kong court has dismissed a HK$12 million claim brought by former agent Samuel Yu Yuk-hing against actress Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi. The High Court found that Cheung had not signed the exclusive management contract she was accused of breaching, nor had she received an advance payment for her services.
In his judgment, Mr Justice Herbert Au-yeung Ho-wing expressed strong doubts about a 2011 contract that Yu sought to rely on, suggesting it was likely fabricated by Yu's brother to evade tax liabilities. The Inland Revenue Department had been investigating a HK$40 million payment AEG made to Cheung in July 2011.
The court also ruled that Yu failed to prove he had paid Cheung HK$2.76 million as an advance for her appearance in two films between 2011 and 2014. Mr Justice Au-yeung Ho-wing described Yu as an “incredible” witness, noting his evasiveness and inconsistent statements. The judgment also stated that Yu displayed low business morality due to his willingness to forge documents to deceive tax authorities.