Original subtitles

HENRY: My name is Henry Ching.

I was in construction in the South Sea.

I had hoped to build homes for people.

I never thought

that I'd end up in debt,

on the run.

A few months ago,

the British government

bought cement from all over Asia

and shipped it to the same place.

I decided to try my luck here.

This place could be

where I turn my luck around.

Down with the ICAC!

Dignity for the police!

Down with the ICAC!

"In 1974, Hong Kong establishes the Independent Commission Against Corruption."

Since the ICAC's creation two years ago,

it has charged many corrupt policemen.

Hundreds of officers are protesting.

Criminal scum

robs my livelihood!

Criminal scum

robs my livelihood!

Criminal scum

robs my livelihood!

Today,

we're here to ask the HK government:

do you want the police

or the ICAC

to enforce the law?

Bastard!

Why bother?

It's pointless!

It needs the police!

Cut the crap!

Screw the ICAC!

Screw the ICAC!

Follow me!

Com'on.

Follow me.

Let's go.

Screw the ICAC!

Hey, stop it!

Stop!

You're breaking the law!

Step aside!

Douchebag!

Stop!

Hey! Don't touch them!

Turn over your files on me!

Stop, right now!

Tell them to stop!

Tell them to stop!

Stop it!

Stop!

You were a cop once.

Now you turn against your own,

shame on you.

You're assaulting an officer,

I have every right to shoot you.

You're assaulting my boss,

I also have every right to shoot you.

Drop the gun.

Shooting a cop is a serious crime!

If anyone pulls the trigger,

do you think the brass will cover for you?

Put your gun away,

return to the peaceful protest.

I'll pretend this never happened.

Sarge,

don't do this.

Gweilo's rifle?

Mounted in his office.

There is no cartridge.

Put it back.

"To pacify the protesters,"

"Hong Kong's Governor announces an amnesty"

"for minor offenses committed before January 1st, 1977."

- Mr. Tsang. - Next Wednesday.

Mr. Tsang.

You.

Screen the applicants!

Don't waste my time!

Please give me a chance, sir.

We need a clerk.

You're an engineer.

I have enough engineers.

- Should I fire them and hire you? - Screw You!

- A waste of time! - Now you want out?

I'll mess you up.

How dare you...

This is an office.

Sorry, brother.

I really need this job.

(DIALECT) We are paisans.

Paisans?

A few Hokkien words and we're related?

Is this a charity?

You.

Call security, get him out of here.

Take care of it.

Hey.

(DIALECT) You're a paisan?

Mr. Wu,

HK$3 million

for all 24 houses,

I'd lose my shirt!

K.K.,

I'm the only sucker

willing to pay HK$3 million.

Your brother asked me to look after you,

otherwise I'd never come out to this dusty and lousy place!

Buddy,

I know you borrowed HK$2 million from the bank,

and the loan matures soon.

Reject my offer,

and your little project

is doomed.

You'd lose everything!

Dad,

Dato Muhammad has arrived.

Mind your steps.

Dad,

Dato and I have an understanding.

He is very interested in these houses.

- Umbrella! - This way.

Please stay shaded.

(DIALECT) Listen,

My final offer.

HK$9 million.

Take it or leave it.

Deal!

- Get the contract. - Right away.

Mr. Wu, please excuse me.

Take care.

Dad,

do you think he'll fall for it?

Wu is a sly guy.

With a HK$9 million offer

how can he resist?

He's leaving!

What did he say?

Nothing!

What do we do?

Thank you, Mr. Tsang.

Mr. Ching,

this way.

HENRY: How come no one is helping your dad?

JOHNNY: Dad is the youngest son of a concubine;

his half brothers bullied him all his life.

That land back there?

No water, no electricity.

One of my stupid uncles brought it,

and unloaded it onto my dad.

Actually,

losing a million or two

is not a big deal for the Tsangs.

But it makes Dad look bad

in front of my uncles.

Mr. Wu is

an uncle's gambling buddy.

I bet they want to rip off my dad.

Mr. Wu, do you need help?

Old fart.

Brickhead.

Smoke...

Smoke this!

Well, Mr. Ching,

where should I drop you off?

HENRY: I only wanted

to pull a prank on Wu,

yet this prank

changed my life.

Sir, how many?

Somewhere comfortable.

This way please.

A cigar, a glass of brandy.

Yes, sir.

- Hold on. - Yes.

Thank you, sir.

(DIALECT) Mr. Muhammad.

We've just met.

My name is Wu Ren Song

from the Xin Song Group.

Do you mind?

Please.

Put it on my tab.

Leave us, we're talking business.

Did I outbid you on the houses?

Apologies if I did.

No worries.

You are a man

with an unique vision.

What makes you think

24 houses

are worth HK$9 million?

They are not.

I want the land.

That piece of land

has no water or electricity

and it's hard to get to.

What can you do with it?

It has potential.

Are the Brits

building a power plant there

as part of the urban expansion plan?

Dato,

what's the scoop?

Care to share?

Just a wild guess.

Another thing,

Dato.

How much deposit did you pay?

HK$10,000.

Ah,

the rest is due next week.

How about this?

I have a proposition.

Allow me to purchase

the property for you.

No matter how much I pay for it,

I will sell it to you

for HK$7 million.

You save HK$2 million.

Not very nice, is it?

I made an offer;

I ought to keep my word.

Keep your word?

How about keeping your money?

Your cost is only HK$ 7 million.

I just saved you HK$ 2 million!

HK$6 million.

Final offer.

Deal!

Hey, pay up.

Rent is due.

You're a month behind.

Take a hike if you can't pay.

And you,

quit smiling,

pay me!

Mr. Tsang?

After you left,

Wu paid HK$4 million for my land.

Then he went to The Peninsula Hotel

looking for Mr. Muhammad.

He went up to the room

and found a black dude

who's buck naked!

The dude claimed to be Muhammad.

Muhammad!

Wu wouldn't believe him,

charged into the room,

and saw a half naked black lady!

Wu ended up with four broken ribs,

a fractured femur

and a couple teeth knocked out.

Turns out that Muhammad

is a heavy weight champ!

Now you,

why didn't you come back?

I was paid in full.

We're square.

You made HK$1 million for me,

and you tell me

that we're square?

Indebted to you,

K.K. Tsang.

Nonsense, Mr. Tsang.

Henry Ching, at your service.

Good.

From now on,

I will call you brother!

"Eleven years later."

K.K. Tsang and Henry Ching became partners.

After Carmen Century collapsed,

Tsang disappeared.

No record of him leaving HK.

According to Immigration records,

Ching never had a Hong Kong ID.

We can charge him with visa violation.

Ming,

how much is an average apartment in HK?

About HK$160K?

Ching stole over HK$10 billion from this city,

enough to buy 60,000 units.

Charge him with visa violation;

he gets deported,

and takes everything with him!

Boss.

113 accountants

have all arrived.

Let's go.

Subtitle | www.movieddl.me

ICAC.

Senior Investigator,

Lau Kai Yuen.

Good morning, sir.

We were making arrangements

for your colleagues.

Apologies for the delay.

This way please.

Just a moment, please.

Officer Lau,

my boss will see you now.

Wait outside.

Officer Lau, is it?

Take a seat.

I often have low blood sugar,

plus I got a cold this morning.

I need to eat something,

or I might faint.

Are you hungry?

Join me.

Mr. Ching,

this is an arrest warrant.

The ICAC is arresting you

on suspicion of fraud and bribery

in connection with Carmen Century.

It is my duty to inform you

that everything you say

will be recorded

and used against you in court.

Do you understand?

Fraud and bribery.

Sounds serious.

It's very serious.

You face 14 years in prison for fraud

and 10 years for bribery.

And there are multiple counts.

Prison? Really?

I'm a businessman.

Even if I breached a regulation,

the penalties should be monetary.

We will also freeze all your assets.

All?

Let me finish this congee first.

Excuse me.

Everything here

is considered evidence.

Please.

No handcuffs, right?

Are you hiring?

These rooms are full.

Mr. Ching,

this way.

Ah,

Mr. Ching,

you're awake.

Happy to see you here.

How long was I out?

Two days.

Ah,

that's 48 hours.

I can leave now.

The court ordered you to be

remanded in custody.

Joseph is negotiating,

we'll hear from him soon.

And my friends?

Don't worry.

I have solicitors from top law firms

looking after them.

Keep a good eye on them.

If they misspeak under duress,

they may get into trouble.

Mr. Ching,

you need not worry about such things.

You think you can get away?

You want to take the rap for the whole case?

Mr. Ching, you don't have to answer that.

Tell me

who else is involved.

Maybe there's a way out for you.

A way out?

You think I'm stupid?

Don't you have enough evidence to nail me?

I can't help you if you think that way.

What kind of help?

You want me to spill the beans,

take a deal.

What's in it for me?

For you?

Fine.

I'll lay it out.

In 1975,

Tsang started his own firm,

and you joined him.

In three years

you made a couple million.

In July that year...

Cheers!

I can't believe it.

The government paid HK$7 million

for that rundown factory!

We didn't do jack shit and made HK$3 million!

HK$1 million. Your share.

Thank you, K.K.

I came to Hong Kong as an engineer.

Now I'm a property speculator.

An engineer?

You would've starved!

Buddy,

whatever you're good at, do that.

Hong Kong is no place for daydreaming.

Don't you see?

See that building? You know the story?

The Golden Hill House,

the priciest office building in Hong Kong.

10 years ago,

Golden Hill Construction outbid the Brits,

bought the land and built it.

The Brits lost face.

Last year,

Golden Hill tried to go public,

and got swindled by brokerage firms.

Golden Hill was short on cash;

the Brits started a buyout.

Two days ago, the Brits completed a takeover.

The building is now

back in British hands.

How about that for a dream?

A nightmare, brother!

What a strange place Hong Kong is.

People go to war

over an office building.

May I have your attention,

please welcome our chairman.

Ladies and gentlemen,

for the Yarden Group, today

is a historic day

with the reacquisition of the

Golden Hill House.

It feels...

It feels just a little bit like

Victory Day.

Rule Britannia!

God save the Queen!

My partner.

Henry Ching.

Hello.

My partner,

Henry Ching.

K.K., how are you mate?

Henry Ching.

Terry,

Vice President of Hong Kong Bank.

My partner, Henry Ching.

LAU: That year,

your family lost a fortune in the U.S.

Your uncles sent your dad to San Francisco to sort it out.

Before he left,

your dad gave Ching

HK$2.3 million.

Is it true?

Not that much.

Dad told me

it was about HK$1 .5 million.

I'm not really sure

what had happened.

The glass panels are cracked.

Better replace them both.

Are you hiring?

Wow. You're a good typist.

Ms. Carmen Cheung.

Your CPA is from the Rose Garden School.

Which school is that?

I got my CPA from a juvenile center.

Do you mind?

Not at all.

Okay then, from now on,

you're hired as my personal assistant.

HK$8K per month.

Any questions?

HK$8K?

You mean HK$800.

I mean HK$8K.

Is there a problem?

Do I get year-end double pay and bonus?

Of course.

And stock options

if we're profitable.

Go to the Business Registration Office;

my company isn't registered yet.

Thanks.

Carmen Transportation, at your service!

Ms. Cheung,

Ching had just met you,

and he names

dozens of companies after you.

Is your relationship

strictly professional?

Ms. Cheung.

Bid increment is HK$500K.

11 .5 million.

12.5 million.

12.5 million once.

13 million.

14 million.

16 million!

Sold!

Hey, was the auction fun?

I wasn't talking to you. I'll call you later.

How was it?

Each bid is over a million!

Over a million!

Are you kidding me?

My heart was pounding

so fast!

I thought

I was having a heart attack.

Stop exaggerating.

No, really!

My mom died of a heart attack.

Really?

- Maybe it's hereditary. - Do you need a check up?

Hey!

I'll take you to the hospital.

Why are you laughing?

I'm messing with you.

You're not a kid, stop mucking around!

Doing business in Hong Kong is a lot of fun.

Fun for you, sure.

You called all the shots.

I wasn't always the shot caller.

You weren't there when I took a beating.

Good morning, Mr. Wu.

I know you like tea,

please accept this box of Pu'er

as my gift to you.

Sam!

I took the liberty of

treating your bodyguards to lunch.

You bastard!

I was in a hospital for 6 months.

I oughta come after you,

how dare you come here?

You made a big profit on K.K.'s land.

I know the government paid HK$8 million for it,

otherwise I wouldn't dare come here.

You're a big man. Forgive me.

I hear Sunny Properties, which you own,

is looking for a buyer.

I'm interested.

What's your offer?

This is?

King of Stocks, Chung Yam.

Don't you know the players in the game?

He is my man at the exchange.

To buy Sunny Properties,

you gotta go through him.

Now then,

what's your offer?

Sunny Properties closed yesterday at HK$1 .25.

I'm offering HK$2.50 a share,

totaling HK$100 million

for 50% of the company.

Fine.

63

- 50,000 shares. - Buy'em!

311

20,000 shares.

Buy'em!

309

30,000 shares.

Buy'em!

Buy another 40,000 shares!

Some fool wants to buy Sunny.

Let's get in on it.

Buy'em!

Boss, we have competition!

Do something!

HK$2.20. 274

50,000 shares.

Buy'em!

178

Buy'em!

301

How many?

It's at HK$2.80 now...

I got a scoop: Sunny's dealer is buying.

It's wild!

It's heading toward HK$4!

Good... Great!

Look, it's at HK$4!

How high will it go?

Hey,

no matter the cost,

- I can't hear you! - buy it all!

Buy it all!

Keep buying!

He has 8 brokerage firms

pushing the stock price.

You just spent HK$40 million for less than 10 percent.

He may well drive the price above HK$5!

Sell some while the price is high,

at least you'd make some money.

- I don't care-- - Wow!

It's dropping!

No!

Why is it dropping?

It dropped from HK$3.50 to HK$3.

HK$2.50!

It's still dropping!

HK$2!

Mr. Ching, you're being played!

Traders!

Some fool wants to take Sunny with HK$100 million.

I'll take his money. Who else wants in?

Anyone?

Me!

Great! Feast and party tonight,

my treat!

I'll take you to the cleaners,

idiot.

Chung,

you have it made.

Shush.

He's right outside.

Aiya!

Another crap tile.

Really?

I'm quitting.

Till next time.

I'll give you a lift.

Okay.

Tailing me all day is useless.

I simply want to know

how much would it take?

Well,

it's not up to me.

Whatever offer you make

has to satisfy Mr. Wu.

I'm not talking about Sunny Properties.

I want you to be my broker.

Unscrupulous, aren't you?

Chung,

I really want to work with you.

Get lost!

Chung...

Mr. Ching.

My personal assistant, Ms. Carmen Cheung.

This is Chung.

How do you do?

Excuse me,

I must go now.

Goodbye.

Thank you.

I need to make a call.

I got the bill.

Where did Henry go?

He has a meeting with Mr. Wu.

Would you like to go to a hotel

in Kowloon Tong or Central?

I can make a reservation.

Acquiring wealth makes a man amoral.

An amoral woman

acquires wealth.

Okay.

You got Sunny Properties.

How high do you want this stock to go?

500 million?

One billion?

I want it to go as high as I want.

I want to issue as many shares as I want,

just like the Americans print money.

Look,

the Americans have nukes,

what do you have?

I have her.

The Golden Hill House.

I will buy the whole building.

Buddy, don't you get it?

This is prime commercial real estate.

People buy one floor at a time,

never the whole building!

Exactly! No one ever tried this.

That's why it'll work like a nuke.

Bing!

Bam!

Awesome, eh?

The Brits own the Golden Hill House.

Would they sell it?

Little rascal,

how quickly you forget

- your old boss! - Mr. Wu!

Relax.

You sold Sunny Properties to Henry,

and made HK$100 million for me.

I'm grateful.

We have some new colleagues.

GM of investments from Yarden Group,

Martin.

Financial supervisor from Yarden Group,

Joey.

And lan,

GM of accounting from Yarden Group.

They will be joining our company.

Please be seated.

A house full of thieves is easy to rob.

These guys have inside information:

Yarden Group is short on cash.

It has no choice but to sell low.

With this All-Star line-up,

you name the price, Mr. Chairman!

I'm not the Chairman.

Friends,

Chairman of Carmen Century Group,

Ms. Carmen Cheung.

Let's take a picture.

Come on boys.

It is my pleasure

to unveil our acquisition

of the entire Golden Hill House from Yarden Group

for a grand total of 600 million dollars.

Before the deal was complete,

rumor has it that a buyer

offered us HK$1 .1 billion for the building.

Carmen Century's stock price doubled.

The Golden Hill House

cost us only HK$100 million cash.

We paid the balance with stocks.

We made HK$1 billion

on the deal.

Everyone wants to buy the stock

that makes money.

I kept issuing stocks to keep up with the demand.

And the price kept going up!

Soon enough,

Carmen Century became a blue-chip.

He is not bullshitting.

You literally can use stocks as cash.

Before the IPO, he spent hundreds of millions

to buy companies and properties.

Where did the money come from?

We have a travel agency, remember?

Here is the bus.

Mind the steps.

Be right with you.

Let me help you--

JOHNNY: Rumor has it,

Henry met the President's wife

in a shoe shop in the Philippines.

Your excellency,

I would like to introduce Mr. Ching.

He is an accomplished businessman from Hong Kong.

Later,

he became the President's financial advisor,

and managed his US$1 billion portfolio.

I know.

Years ago,

as a tour guide in the Golden Triangle,

he got caught in a battle with the guerillas.

Here.

Get in.

Shoot!

WU:He and the opium warlord became buddies.

And the warlord gave him

one ton of solid gold to launder.

Ah,

a few years back,

some bankers told me this story.

Apparently, this guy

was at a train station in Moscow

where the KGB was chasing a spy.

Stop.

Stop.

Don't run!

HO: With dumb luck,

he tripped the CIA agent.

Catching a CIA agent in Moscow!

Well,

you can't get luckier than that.

From then on,

he moved

KGB money

to Asia

and laundered it.

You believe all that?

What a load of crap.

I can't mess

with any of these people!

So whose money is it?

It's all here.

Mr. Ching.

The court has set your bail

at HK$10 million.

My wife will wire the funds tomorrow.

No need.

I know your wife and daughter are in South Asia.

I've applied for your wife's extradition.

Leave the family out of this.

I beg your pardon.

I'm talking about you.

Your wife just gave birth to a son.

Your daughter wants to go to school in the U.S.

It costs a lot to study abroad these days.

Luckily, I sponsor a few scholarships.

If your daughter is interested,

she should talk to Kelvin.

It's quite simple.

She fills out a couple forms;

she gets tens of thousands a year.

That's not all.

If the applicant is a friend,

we can add a zero to the amount.

That's what friendship is about,

helping each other out.

How can I help?

It's up to you.

If I help you beat the case,

how many zeros is that worth?

What were we talking about?

About extradition.

- Your wife and daughter-- - Show him the way out.

Don't waste my time.

Mr. Lau.

Our medical team recommends

only 6 hours of questioning each day.

Time is up.

Please.

Scumbag.

Where's your mom and brother?

They went to the restaurant.

Let's take a picture with mom.

Thank you.

Would you like to take a family photo?

Here.

Cheese!

Thank you.

Sorry. I forgot.

It's fine.

I'm glad you showed up.

Let me hold him.

- Do you miss me? - Hey cousins,

how about a family photo?

Stand closer, Wing.

There, better.

Ready,

1, 2, 3, cheese!

- Great, thanks. - Thank you.

Take a seat.

I want you to take the kids

and leave Hong Kong for a few months.

Just the kids and myself?

I'm investigating a dangerous criminal.

You're not going with us?

I'm not.

- Hear me out-- - You really think

I'm OK with you being AWOL?

Answer the page.

- Please understand my situation. - I don't understand--

I don't care!

- I really-- - You're scaring the baby.

I have to answer the page.

These are records from Carmen Century.

We spent days with the accountants,

and got through less than 10%.

These boxes here

are clean.

These yellow tabs

may or may not be clean.

Now these,

these with blue tabs are very fishy.

What's fishy about them?

College boy,

explain to the Boss.

All these numbers

have 2 decimal places.

Sir, why would a transaction

cost exactly 660 thousand

8 hundred 64 dollars and 21 cents?

Check this out.

HK$660,864.21.

66086421

Split it into four parts.

66, 08, 64, 21

Part D plus part B, 66 plus 64 equals 130.

Minus the sum of parts C and A.

08 plus 21

equals 29.

130 minus 29

Bam!

101

This means

the number is divisible by 101.

They did the math.

All 400 settlement prices

are divisible by 101.

We can't figure out why,

we thought you should take a look.

CHUNG: "The Golden Hill House

cost only HK$100 million cash.

We paid the balance with Carmen stocks.

We made HK$1 billion

on that deal.

He is not bullshitting.

You literally can use stocks as cash."

Brilliant.

These are stocks.

To settle a transaction with stocks,

you pay a 1% commission.

The stock price times 101%.

Ching uses stocks

at the stock exchange.

Then he bribes people with stocks.

At the same time

his stock price goes up!

That's it!

Stay calm.

Double check the numbers.

I want to know who ended up with these stocks.

Let's get to work!

These can't be shown in court...

Check this out.

What are you doing?

Put it down and move aside!

You're stealing evidence!

Let me go! I'm a Queen's Counsel!

What kind of counsel

steals evidence?

This is obstruction of justice!

Let's start.

Between October 1982

and May 1983,

on 51 occasions, Ching transferred 15.3 million

Carmen shares

to your friends' and relatives' companies.

With this evidence,

you have no chance in court.

Bring my lawyer back.

Your lawyer?

Those are Ching's lawyers.

I have nothing to say without a lawyer.

Isn't it easier to speak

without a lawyer?

Hey.

The Golden Hill buyer pulled out?

That means our stocks will be worthless!

You are worthless!

I never said there's a buyer.

Your job is to move stocks.

The buyer is none of your freakin' business!

Fine.

Look,

we're on the same boat.

If not for me,

do it for Carmen.

Okay.

I'll find a buyer. Hang in there.

After work, let's have dinner

- and go dancing. - Really?

We'll party all night!

What the...

K.K. came back,

and it made all the difference.

Are you familiar with the blue bloods?

Hey, Robert.

- Dad. - Hey Charles!

You have some gall to come here.

Aren't you worried about your wife?

Robert!

I could've met you downstairs.

No need, K.K.

Allow me to introduce someone.

Henry.

Mr. Henry Ching.

This is Mr. Chan, of Fortune Grain and Oil.

Mr. Lee, of Arctic Shipping.

Mr. Law, of Southern Mills.

Mr. Ho, Celestial Hotel and Casino in Macau.

The Lau brothers of Ping Shan Construction.

This is Robert.

We go way back.

Heir to HK's largest Chinese owned bank,

Mr. Ho Ho Wan.

This party is popping.

The Brits can only hope

to match such pizzazz.

You must be esteemed by all, Mr. Ching.

I am humbled by my esteemed guests.

Your forefathers built this city.

Without the foundations

they laid,

where would I be?

Right?

Screw you!

To hell with your foundation.

You dare call us trust fund babies?

Just kidding.

Are you shitting bricks yet?

I know you're kidding.

Thick-skinned, aren't you?

I like that.

Someone told us that you spent serious money

on an antiques collection.

You can't get good antiques

by throwing money at them.

Robert is an expert.

Sotheby's and Christie's

often seek his advice.

If Robert spots a fugazi,

that would be embarrassing!

Whoa,

that's perfect!

Please have a look.

Come.

This way.

Please.

This way.

Please.

Robert,

isn't that Cheri,

the starlet who stood you up?

Tomorrow,

let's push Carmen stocks to HK$9.

Mr. Lee,

you buy 100 lots at HK$6.50.

Mr. Chan,

buy them at HK$7.50.

Mr. Ho,

HK$8.

Mr. Law and Lau Brothers,

HK$8.50. 200 lots each.

Then we will

inform the press and media

that your families are investing--

Shut the hell up.

Why am I paying the highest price?

Don't worry Mr. Law,

the shares and the money

are all held by us.

No matter who buys at what price,

there's no risk.

Are you stupid or what.

The price does not matter.

What a bonehead.

Let's swap then!

Good idea! We don't want to go last.

- Yes, lets swap. - Good! Let's swap.

Okay, we will switch with you.

Let's swap now.

Swap your mother!

Hey now,

gents,

please calm down.

How about this: whatever price

the stock ends up at,

you pay HK$5 a share,

I guarantee I'll buy them back at HK$10.

OK?

Words mean nothing.

Guarantee? How?

HK$7.20.

HK$9, anyone?

I'll buy them all!

Yours!

Morning, chums.

Henry!

Thank you Henry!

Long live Henry!

I made reservations at the restaurant,

Henry. Ride in my car.

Your driver sucks. Take my car.

- I have drinks in my car. - My car is more spacious!

Next time we'll get a limousine,

we can ride together.

It'll be a riot.

For now,

I'm smoking, better take the convertible!

See, I told you!

Don't just stand there, get the door!

Ah,

I almost forgot,

boat party on Sunday.

I'll bring 20 models!

No wives and girlfriends allowed!

- Bring swimming trunks only. - I'll come in my birthday suit!

See, I was right.

- Johnny. - Yes.

Get everyone seated.

Got it.

Who wants some of this?

Robert.

K.K.

We are celebrating.

Come and join us.

You guys made a fortune,

- it has nothing to do with me. - Why you...

You bought 500 lots at HK$7 this morning,

you made bank.

Come celebrate with us.

Sure, I got in on it.

Do you want a cut?

Of course not.

Actually, Henry really wants to work with you.

Work with me?

You mean work for him.

A partnership.

We'd like you to buy something from us.

What?

The Golden Hill House.

My old man isn't dead yet,

I don't have that kind of money.

With your pedigree, who needs money?

Your name is worth a fortune.

Look. I sell it to you for HK$1 .6 billion,

then I find a buyer to buy it for HK$2 billion.

Your cut is 30%.

You'd make HK$120 million

without spending a dime.

Heir to China Commerce Bank

buys Golden Hill House for HK$1 .68 billion.

How do you think the market reacts?

He lined up an army of brokers.

From Garden Road to the Peak,

every household got in on Carmen stocks.

In less than a week,

stock price went up to HK$16 a share.

The top brokerage firms

pegged the target price at HK$30.

Carmen stocks

are worth more than money!

HK$20.

Anyone?

Stocks can be used as cash.

It's shopping time!

Shopping...

HENRY: What should one buy?

What should one buy?

U.K. Century Shipping,

HK$1 .2 billion.

U.S. Anyan Insurance Group,

HK$1 .3 billion.

Henry is the best!

HENRY: Lida Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui,

HK$2.8 billion.

Pricier than The Landmark in Central!

In Canada, a 50 hectares urban development.

HK$3.5 billion.

Perpetual Petroleum International,

HK$4.5 billion.

Plus the biggest movie studio in Japan.

In less than 6 months,

Carmen became an international conglomerate.

With more than HK$10 billion in assets,

and market capital exceeding HK$20 billion,

it was bigger than the blue chips.

We were flush with cash,

and everyone wanted to do business with us.

Hi, Mr. Ching.

I am Terry, Vice President of Hong Kong Bank.

You probably forgot, Terry,

we've met before.

The party at Yarden Group.

Of course we did.

Please allow me to announce

a quarterly loan of US$110 million to Carmen Group.

Pardon me?

Is there a problem, Mr. Ching?

Tell him 11 is unlucky for me.

Mr. Ching says,

US$110 million

resembles 11.

11 brings him bad luck.

I'm sure there's a way around this.

Would Mr. Ching mind picking a luckier number?

168

I would say,

US$168 million.

It's a lucky saying in Chinese.

A path to wealth. OK?

Alright.

US$168 million it is.

A path to wealth!

Good negotiator.

Hong Kong Bank was such a pushover.

Hey,

Bank Deutschland called as well.

How much should we ask for?

These days,

every bank is at your beck and call.

Henry,

I want HK$80 million.

Sure.

I'll tell Chung to transfer some stocks to you tomorrow.

I want cash.

HK$80 million in cash?

Not even a bank has that much cash.

Of the US$168 million from Hong Kong Bank,

only 100 showed up in the company account.

You should be flush.

Fine,

I'll get you the cash tomorrow.

Here.

Mr. Ching is in a meeting--

Mr. Ho.

You didn't go yachting today?

- Fine. - Sorry, Mr. Ching.

I'm drowning here!

Care to join?

You promised me a buyer for Golden Hill.

- Stay out. - Where is he?

You got me

to join your little charade,

your stocks went up,

you made bank,

and I end up holding the bag?

The Brits in the DOJ told me that

the Commercial Crime Bureau is

looking at me for market manipulation!

What do I do?

Calm down.

I'm going to jail! Calm your ass!

- Stay calm. - Calm down.

This is a promissory note

from Mr. Ho to Carmen Century,

in the amount of HK$1 .68 billion.

Once you sign it,

technically,

the deal is complete.

As long as the check is not cashed,

you don't have pay a penny.

You opened an account in my name?

Why not do it at my bank?

Are you nuts?

This is fraud!

How is this fraud?

With your signature, the deal is done.

I will sell Golden Hill floor by floor.

I'll find buyers.

We'll share the profit

among us.

Here.

No.

If we are going to share,

I want my share now.

As they say,

wine reddens one's cheeks,

gold blackens one's heart.

Splitting the loot always

makes enemies of brothers.

There never is honor among thieves.

Welcome to Carmen's.

I named the restaurant after you,

because you deserve something truly yours.

Hey.

Change the name.

People might get the wrong idea.

Who might get the wrong idea?

Henry Ching?

Each month

I make a deposit to his account in Timurlaysia.

His wife's name is also Carmen.

Carmen Law.

Actually,

I met Mrs. Ching two years ago.

I know her.

Don't worry,

I'm not a fool.

Stay here tonight.

Tell me,

the firm has so much debt,

aren't you worried?

That's nothing.

Our stock is still climbing.

It's been climbing for a year.

You sure it won't fall?

Silly girl.

"In 1982, the British and Chinese governments commence negotiations regarding Hong Kong."

"The Hong Kong Association of Banks increases the Prime Lending Rate to 20%."

"Hong Kong's largest British conglomerate decides to re-domicile."

News from the stock exchange:

the Hang Seng Index continued to decline,

from 910 at market open

to 710 at market close.

Trading volume was down 60%.

- HK$14.20! - HK$14.20, anyone?

HK$14.20!

Financial news:

Bank of China purchased,

at the price of HK$1 billion,

a site in Central

to house its new headquarters,

far below the market expectation

of HK$2.5 billion.

The Hang Seng Index declined again.

"The Hong Kong dollar depreciates to HK$9.6 to US$1 ."

"The public swarms to banks to withdraw money."

"Many deposit-taking companies collapse."

Financial news:

continuing its downward trend,

the market opened lower today.

Within 15 minutes of market open,

the Hang Seng Index

fell over 100 points.

Decline continued afterwards.

At market close,

the Index fell to 463.4,

HK$2.90, Anyone?

What were the mistakes

that led to this crash?

Mr. Chairman,

in the middle of a market crash,

do you have any contingency plan?

Carmen has hundreds of millions of loans

maturing next quarter.

Can you make scheduled payments

at a time like this?

Carmen Century has heavy debts,

and banks are unwilling to keep lending.

Is this true?

Please respond.

Your shareholders deserve an explanation.

Care to comment, Mr. Ching?

Mr. Ching, you rarely attend these functions,

does your appearance today mean

there is trouble?

We're not ebullient on the local market,

but Carmen Century has a global outlook.

Which is why

we remain profitable

despite the market downturn.

Our share price will quickly recover.

Recover? How?

The US market is also in decline,

does it affect your US property projects?

To reward our investors,

we will distribute a dividend

of HK$0.12 per share!

Thank you all.

Can you give a straight answer?

Carmen stocks are trading below HK$3.

Yet you're paying 12 cent dividends!

A generous man!

To buy us some time.

It's all over if we fall under HK$2.

Buy some time?

For your company, sure.

My company is finished!

If it goes under, we go to jail.

What does it have to do with me?

Nothing to do with you?

How dare you say

it has nothing to do with you?

You mortgaged my company stocks

over and over again.

You borrowed ninety dollars on every dollar!

The police are onto me.

If I go down, you go with me!

Don't touch me.

I just don't have the cash to bail you out!

- Call him! - Call whom?

Call your backer!

When we made money, everyone's happy.

When things go to shit,

I'm the fall guy.

Call him.

Do it now!

Or I'll call the police!

My partner, K.K.

US$5 million.

It's all there is.

What's the matter?

You don't want it?

This is our first meeting.

Also the last.

We've never met, agreed?

Understood?

Henry, you stay.

Douchebag!

What the hell is this?

He promised US$20 million.

This is only US$5 million.

What's wrong?

Stop it, K.K.

We can't afford to mess with him.

LAU: Did your father ever tell you

who the backer is?

JOHNNY: I really don't know.

I only know he's from Southeast Asia.

LAU: When was the last time

you saw K.K. Tsang?

Where did he go?

Gone into hiding?

Or gone?

When ICAC comes for you,

pay attention:

are they asking for assistance

or is it an arrest?

If they want assistance,

say what I just taught you to say.

If it's an arrest,

say nothing.

Just do what Kelvin tells you to.

Have you found the Southeast Asian?

Ching has

over 200 companies in HK,

with shareholders from all over the world.

Among them, about 190

Southeast Asian nationals.

We need some time.

Fine.

When was the last time you went home?

Three, four days ago.

Go home and see you wife.

It's okay.

Wing is here.

I brought some soup.

Thank you for the soup.

No need.

Your daughter made it.

She used sugar.

No way!

I didn't sweeten it.

Hey.

Let's--

Let's go out to dinner tonight.

Let's go out to dinner tonight.

It's okay.

We're okay now.

Lau--

Hey!

Your boss was lucky.

Special Branch got wind of this

and sent us to his house.

Don't worry,

ICAC man.

Alright,

I'll go have a look.

Appreciate it.

Thanks.

Boss!

- No! - Stay cool!

Stay cool.

Hey!

Lau Kai Yuen,

don't come home until you put him away!

Scumbag.

Hey.

Where're you going?

You just assaulted my client.

What is this?

Police.

Is there a brawl?

That woman assaulted my client.

Who assaulted that woman?

His wife assaulted my client!

Is that true?

Anyone saw his wife?

Auntie, did you see his wife?

No?

There's no witness.

Do you need a doctor?

The police in cahoots with the ICAC?

The common man is screwed.

Wait.

Mr. Henry Ching?

Homicide, New Territories.

I am Mr. Ching's solicitor.

What's the matter?

This is an arrest warrant.

The Royal Hong Kong Police

suspects that you're connected to a murder case.

Please assist us in our investigation.

SARGE: The victim's name was Ahn Wencescala,

from Timurlaysia.

He worked in HK for a year

as a manager for a finance company.

He rented a hotel room and stashed 50 boxes

of confidential files on Carmen Century.

We contacted Timurlaysian police.

He turned out to be an undercover agent

of Timurlaysia's Ministry of Interior.

He came to Hong Kong

to investigate Carmen Century's dealings with the finance company.

Boss.

A week before his murder,

Ahn Wencescala stopped

a US$10 million loan

to Henry Ching.

This finance company has only US$100K in registered capital.

How can it make a US$10 million loan?

It sure can.

Its parent company,

Bank Persekutuan of Timurlaysia,

is loaded.

20 years ago,

oil was discovered in Timurlaysia.

The country became a crude exporter,

earning US$10 billion annually.

Bank Persekutuan was established

to invest these petrol dollars globally.

In 1978,

the bank's rep in Hong Kong is Musharra Hafa.

Hafa happens to be a shareholder

of a dozen Carmen affiliated firms.

Looks like Hafa and Ching used the petrol dollars

to bankroll Carmen Century.

SARGE: That makes sense.

Wencescala has incriminating evidence.

Ching had every reason

to want him dead.

LAU: Ching has plenty of money,

yet he hired an inept killer

who left clues all over the place.

After the hit,

he didn't clean up;

once caught,

he fingers Ching right away.

SARGE: Are you saying

Ching didn't hire the killer?

Then who did?

News from a police briefing:

an hour ago,

the suspect in the

Ahn Wencescala murder case

overturned his earlier testimony.

He now denies that Henry Ching ordered the hit.

Due to lack of evidence,

the police has released Henry Ching.

What the hell? What's the angle?

Mr. Lau,

I am Mr. Ching's new solicitor.

I have spoken to your supervisor.

Mr. Ching is willing to cooperate

in exchange for the release of his associates.

None of them knows anything.

Let's not waste everyone's time,

alright?

Based on new evidence,

the court decrees that

you turn over the contents of your safe.

Here is the combination.

We came prepared.

We are cooperating.

Chi Ching.

Let's begin.

Mr. Henry Ching,

do you know Musharra Hafa?

He is a shareholder of a dozen companies

including Carmen Pest Control and Carmen Tours.

You are the majority shareholder;

you should be well acquainted with him.

Mr. Ching,

do you know Musharra Hafa?

I'm asking you a question!

Henry Ching!

Mr. Ching,

on July 11th 1980,

did you transfer to Hafa,

though Carmen Pest Control, one million shares of Carmen Century?

In return, did he

approve a US$10 million loan to you?

On February 24th,

and March 24th,

of 1981,

did you transfer through Carmen Transportation,

in 3 installments, 600,000 shares of Carmen Century to Hafa?

In return, did he authorize

a US$20 million loan to you?

Do you understand?

I'll ask again.

On February 24th,

and March 24th,

of 1981 ...

...at Bank Persekutuan, to Hafa

and his superiors.

Is that correct, Mr. Ching?

Doesn't matter if you talk or not.

Governments of Hong Kong and Timurlaysia

are cooperating.

Hafa is a wanted man.

Once he is caught,

it'll be too late even if you want to talk.

Now that you've mucked things up,

what more can I say?

I mucked thing up?

Rich as you are,

you don't call the shots

on what's right or wrong.

Of course I don't call the shots,

officer.

HENRY: In the past few months,

Carmen Century's stock fell from HK$20 to HK$0.15.

HK investors lost HK$20 billion.

But the OTC brokers,

After-Hour traders and Rat-traders,

offshore players lost hundreds of billions.

Some genius thought

murdering the auditor and framing me

kills two birds with one stone.

But if I go to prison,

who will take the rap for the losses?

Those guys?

Their backers may well get burned.

Hey,

these backers are serious people.

People who run countries.

Therefore the killer must recant his testimony

so I can be the scapegoat.

You keep asking me who my backers are.

At my level, I don't even graze their shadows.

You think I'm a wizard with the Midas touch;

in fact I'm just a front man, disposable.

How does the saying go?

Every being under heaven

has its purpose.

We know our positions.

We act our roles in the financial market.

There's no room for improvisation.

The plot goes where the money flows;

we simply follow orders.

Do your best.

I'd like a fish.

What's fresh?

HENRY: Lau,

I know you have enough evidence to put me away,

but has it occurred to you

that you are also a performer

in this piece of drama?

Boss.

Go ahead.

Sir,

we opened the safe.

There's nothing in it.

The bastards cut a hole through the roof of his office.

Hello? Hold on.

Line two.

It's the police.

Lau.

Ching's lawyer, Kelvin,

drowned in his own swimming pool.

We found a suicide note,

but also found his body in chains.

Boss,

Timurlaysia's Ministry of Interior called.

Hafa and other bank executives

have disappeared.

Sir,

I'm here to turn myself in.

I'm responsible for everything.

Here is

the evidence.

Mr. Lau,

we deposited HK$50 million bail money,

and with guarantees from ten Justices of Peace,

the court has granted bail to Mr. Ching.

Scapegoat or not,

did you think that I'll just sit

and let you pull my strings?

I didn't get to where I am

by being a pushover.

LAU: K.K. Tsang's son

pleaded guilty to fraud and bribery.

He got 14 years.

Ching thought he got away clean,

but the Department of Justice

charged him for

the false sale of the Golden Hill House.

A few months later,

we put him on trial.

Quiet in court.

Court.

LAU: I thought the story was over.

Who knew

it was only the beginning.

Hello, Mr. Ching.

How nice of you to be in court with us today.

Thanks for your kindness,

your honor.

Please make yourself comfortable.

We know Mr. Ching has a tight schedule.

For the benefit of Hong Kong's economy,

I'm hoping that counsels for both parties may proceed expeditiously.

Sit.

"A month later,"

"the judge acquits all defendants,"

"citing procedural errors by the prosecution."

"The defendants may not be tried again for the same offence."

LAU: Six months later,

we tracked down Hafa

and other bank executives

in the U.K.,

France and Germany.

ICAC sought cooperation from these countries,

and local authorities arrested them.

I will not go to Hong Kong.

Mr. Hafa,

you've been incarcerated

for quite a while.

If you cooperate with us,

a Hong Kong court

will only give you 2 years.

With time served here,

after the trial,

you'd be out in no time.

Coming with me

is a better deal, right?

Better?

Do you know what kind of a man Ching is?

If he finds out I'm going back,

do you think I'll make it to the plane?

Mr. Hafa, your Chinese is quite impressive!

Oh,

in Timurlaysia,

my ex-employer is Chinese.

Ah.

And your line of business?

My new employer

sent me here

to look for investment opportunities.

Hong Kong is indeed full of opportunities.

Is that so?

Here.

My name is Henry Ching.

Thank you Mr. Ching.

Pleased to meet you.

HAFA: At first,

I invested

in his travel agency;

we made over US$100K.

Next, we put a few million

in real estate.

It doubled in no time.

Then came the IPO.

No matter how much we put in,

we'd at least double it.

With this kind of ROI,

my bosses didn't care

that I took kickbacks.

I was transferred back to headquarters,

return on investment dropped,

but kickbacks remained the same.

However,

the loan amount got bigger and bigger.

Henry, you've maxed out your loan limit,

it's hard for me to explain to my bosses.

It'll be harder to explain if I go under!

HAFA:By then, Ching had became

an international front man,

for god knows how many backers.

The amount he handled

far out values any human life.

Henry, you stay.

The scariest thing is that

if he wants someone gone,

it'll be done

without him lifting a finger.

Henry,

what do we do now?

The Ministry of Interior is investigating!

Come on. Do it.

Do what?

Finish the show.

What're you doing?

I'm saving your neck.

I never should've told him

Wencescala was an investigator from the Ministry of Interior.

I killed him!

I killed a man!

Your testimony is vital. Come back to Hong Kong.

I won't go to Hong Kong.

I don't want to die.

I won't go back with you.

Open the gate!

- Calm down. - Open the gate!

- I said calm down! - Open!

- Open! - Calm down!

You better calm down!

LAU: Maybe he was right.

That same evening,

the judge who acquitted Ching

died in an auto accident in Cyprus.

"Five years later."

In 1988,

several U.S. bankers

were arrested for taking bribes.

They all took bribes from Ching

and gave loans to Carmen Century.

The Hong Kong government

charged Ching again.

This time,

with new evidence from the FBI,

we couldn't lose.

Court.

LAU: However,

the judge's wife had bought

1000 Carmen shares 7 years prior.

Ching's lawyer

cited conflict of interest.

In the end,

the judge had to declare a mistrial.

Yes!

Thank you.

Well done sir.

Congratulations.

I need a drink.

Ronnie!

Congratulations, boss.

- Thank you. - My pleasure.

"Eight years later."

Your extradition order.

The court decreed that you should stand trial in Hong Kong.

I appealed that decision.

The High Court dismissed your appeal.

I'm applying for political asylum.

The Ministry of Interior

rejected your application.

I will appeal at the UN.

Will you stop!

Please come in.

Hey,

do you know the cost of an apartment these days?

HK$15K per square foot!

Had you not brought me down,

my shareholders would be filthy rich by now.

Would you like some? Join me.

I'm fine.

I had lunch.

How many times have you arrested me?

This is the 8th.

Last time, you confiscated my house.

I've been living in a hotel since.

In the presidential suite.

Must be tough.

By my calculation,

through these years,

litigation costs must ran

north of HK$200 million.

Investigation costs, say HK$100 million?

10 years of your life spent on one case,

no promotion.

What's it all for?

To punish wrongdoers? For justice?

Get off your high horse.

Ask yourself,

are you doing this out of spite?

You hounded me all these years,

what's the beef?

Did I murder your family?

Look,

you endangered certain people,

that's why they came for you.

Don't pin that on me.

If they really wanted you dead,

would you still be here today?

My son is in middle school now.

He tells me that

canned food

was invented in 1772.

But the can opener

wasn't invented until 1858.

Some 80 years later.

Late, perhaps,

still plenty useful.

As you said,

every being under heaven has its purpose.

Without a guy like me,

who will look after guys like you?

For more than a decade,

we worked with many countries,

and arrested over 50 criminals

connected to this case.

Courts handed down

over 200 hundred years of prison time.

We've frozen

and confiscated

over US$80 billion.

And most importantly,

they've all testified against you.

They've all testified against you.

Do you really think you're going to get away?

HENRY: What a ridiculous place.

We came to Hong Kong to make money.

Suddenly we have to obey the law?

The deck is stacked, for sure.

Case number:

High Court Criminal Case 116, 1996

Mr. Henry Ching

and Mr. Musharra Hafa

are charged with violations against section 9

of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance

between 1980 and 1983.

On multiple occasions, the defendants

offered pecuniary advantage

to the Directors, CEO and CFO

of Bank Persekutuan of Timurlaysia,

in order to obtain billions in bank loans.

Defendants,

how do you plead?

Your honor,

my client pleads

guilty.

Order in court!

First defendant,

do you understand the charges against you?

First defendant,

do you understand the charges against you?

I do.

The defendants' unlawful conduct

seriously undermined

the rule of law long established

in Hong Kong,

an international financial center.

For well over a decade,

they tried to imped

this inevitable indictment.

Such crimes must not go unpunished.

As the defendants pleaded guilty,

and returned most of the pecuniary resources,

I must carefully consider the sentences.

I now order that the defendants

be remanded in custody

until sentencing.

LAU: over ten years of work to put one person away.

Was it worth it?

Cannot be measured.

"The High Court of Hong Kong sentenced Henry Ching to three years in prison."

"A few years later, Carmen Century Group completed the liquidation process."

"Proceeds were distributed among major creditors,"

"while general shareholders received nothing."