Tycoon paid $327m 'for feng shui healing'

[blutoski]

Title: Tycoon paid $327m 'for feng shui healing'
Subtitle: AN ailing Hong Kong tycoon gave her feng shui master more than $327 million in the hope that it would help to prolong her life, a court heard today.

Link: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25707177-23109,00.html

Excerpt:

From correspondents in Hong Kong
Agence France-Presse
June 29, 2009 03:42pm

AN ailing Hong Kong tycoon gave her feng shui master more than $327 million in the hope that it would help to prolong her life, a court heard today.

Tony Chan, a bartender-turned-soothsayer who says he is the sole beneficiary of Nina Wang's $16 billion estate, told Hong Kong's High Court he had received three tranches of 688 million Hong Kong dollars ($109 million) each from Wang between 2005 and 2006.

Blutoskitorial:

He also worked as a consultant for her real estate investments and was responsible for advising on building siting and design for major construction projects. That's pretty common practice in China, though the fee is a bit high.

Nina Wang (the customer/victim) herself just can't seem to stay out of probate. She previously was in a long dispute over the estate of her husband after he disappeared in 1990. This included allegations that she forged his will, and the dispute with her father-in-law didn't finish until 2005:

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_print.asp?art_id=1535&sid=4620143

 

[Starthinker]

I would have done it for half that.