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| Raymond Wong’s WhatsApp Defence Backfires in Court as Hong Kong Film Veteran Faces Possible Jail Time. (Credits: TVB/Yahoo HK) |
At 80 years old, Raymond Wong Pak-ming is suddenly facing the sort of courtroom drama that even his own comedy films probably would not dare write. The veteran Hong Kong film producer, famous for shaping decades of local cinema, has now been found guilty of insider trading after a 16-day trial in Hong Kong’s Eastern Magistrates’ Court. What started as a financial investigation into Pegasus Entertainment shares has ended with one of the city’s most recognisable entertainment figures waiting to find out whether retirement could soon come with prison walls attached.
The court ruled that Raymond Wong, chairman and controlling shareholder of Pegasus Entertainment, had shared confidential trading information with his younger sister during negotiations involving the sale of company shares back in 2017.
According to prosecutors, Wong transferred around HK$2 million to his sister, Jenny Wong Kit-chun, while also sending WhatsApp instructions telling her when to purchase Pegasus stock.
One message reportedly read: “If it drops below 0.2 tomorrow, buy as much as possible.” The result? Shares were purchased worth roughly HK$1.6 million, eventually generating a profit of more than HK$1 million.
The defence tried hard to explain away the messages, though the courtroom reaction suggested nobody was exactly buying the script. Wong claimed the WhatsApp exchanges reflected a “special family communication style” where he and his sister supposedly spoke in reverse meanings.
In other words, when he said “buy”, he apparently meant “do not buy”. The magistrate did not hold back, calling the explanation “absurd”, “illogical”, and frankly impossible to accept.
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| TVB |
The court ultimately ruled that the only reasonable conclusion was that Wong knowingly instructed his sister to purchase shares using insider knowledge. For many Hong Kong entertainment fans, the case feels surreal. Raymond Wong is not just another businessman.
He helped build some of Hong Kong cinema’s most commercially successful years, producing hit films and becoming closely associated with family-friendly comedies and Lunar New Year blockbusters. Seeing his name move from film credits to criminal conviction headlines has left many longtime viewers genuinely stunned.
During mitigation, Wong’s legal team presented more than 20 character reference letters from film industry figures, colleagues, and people he had supported financially and personally over the years.
The defence argued that Wong’s generosity went beyond money, with many describing him as someone who quietly helped others behind the scenes without seeking attention.
Among those appealing for leniency was Virginia Lok, TVB’s Assistant General Manager, who reportedly told the court that Wong’s contribution to Hong Kong’s entertainment industry over several decades was undeniable.
Director David Lam also submitted a letter highlighting Wong’s role in producing beloved films that brought positivity and laughter to audiences. The court additionally heard that Wong donated millions during the pandemic period to support relief efforts in mainland China.
His legal team also stressed that Wong has no previous criminal record and has effectively retired from active business life. Lawyers argued that the case has already deeply affected his mental health, personality, and public reputation.
According to the defence, the once outgoing producer has become withdrawn, stopped taking part in charity activities, and even sought psychiatric treatment while the legal battle dragged on. They urged the court to consider a non-custodial sentence instead of immediate jail time.
Some netizens argued that fame, wealth, and decades in the entertainment business should not place anyone above financial laws. Others pointed out that insider trading cases involving ordinary investors would likely receive far less sympathy. A few sarcastically joked that the “reverse psychology WhatsApp defence” sounded like a rejected comedy script from the 1990s rather than an actual courtroom argument.
At the same time, supporters of Wong have defended him fiercely, saying his decades of contribution to Hong Kong cinema should not be erased by one criminal conviction late in life.
Some fans expressed sadness watching a once-celebrated entertainment figure become the centre of such a public downfall, especially at his age. Others believe the court should consider his philanthropy, retirement status, and lack of previous offences before deciding his punishment.
The case has now been adjourned until 9 June 2026 for sentencing, with Raymond Wong remaining on bail in the meantime. Whether the veteran producer avoids jail or becomes one of Hong Kong entertainment’s most shocking late-career cautionary tales is now the question hanging over the industry.