A wanted major shareholder of a listed company in Hong Kong escaped from the hospital after being arrested in Hong Kong recently, and was arrested again a day later.The Hong Kong police have filed a lawsuit against him for illegal escape, and the case was brought to court for the first time today (November 19) in the Hong Kong Eastern District Magistrates' Court.

According to the indictment obtained by the Caixin reporter, the defendant’s name is Li Leon, male, 34 years old, born on April 19, 1984, a businessman who holds the nationality of the Dominican Republic.He was charged with violating common law and escaped legal custody in Hong Kong on 14 November 2018 (hereinafter referred to as the new case).

Li Leon arrived in Hong Kong on November 14 and was arrested at Hong Kong International Airport.He was accused of using a forged Hong Kong identity card in 2015 (hereinafter referred to as the old case).During the trial of the old case, Li Leon failed to report to the court as scheduled even though he was released on bail, and he never showed up again. He was later listed as a wanted person.

During this detention, Li Leon reported feeling unwell and was escorted by the police to Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong for treatment.According to Hong Kong media reports, he claimed to be suffering from AIDS, and when he went to the hospital on November 16, he opened the false ceiling of the toilet, climbed through the ventilation slot to the adjacent ward and escaped.On the evening of November 17, the police arrested him again in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

The new case was held in Hong Kong for the first time at noon today, and there were two other male defendants who appeared in court with Li Leon.Both were accused of violating common law and the Hong Kong Criminal Procedure Ordinance. From November 14 to November 16, they aided and abetted Li Leon to escape from legal custody in a certain place in Hong Kong.

Security measures have been stepped up during the trial of the new case.The three defendants stood with their hands behind their backs in court, each guarded by a Hong Kong armed police officer behind them, and several judicial police officers were stationed outside the defendant's bar.Li Leon appeared in court in white short sleeves and gray shorts.In court, he was in a calm state, squeezing his eyes from time to time, without any other facial expressions.

The judge finally announced that both the new case and the old case were adjourned until December 17 this year, and the three defendants were remanded in custody.The judge rejected the bail request of one of the defendants, and the defense lawyer said that he would submit another bail application on November 27.Li Leon and the other defendant did not make a bail application.

According to the new indictment, the defendant who applied for bail is named Sang Tian, 33 years old, born on July 4, 1985, Chinese nationality, businessman.Another defendant named Zhan Guiyou, 31 years old, born on November 2, 1987, Chinese nationality, businessman, holds the People's Republic of China Travel Permit for Traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macau.

The prosecution lawyer quoted the records of the Hong Kong Immigration Department in court, saying that the three defendants all arrived in Hong Kong on the same day on November 14, Li Leon and Sang Tian arrived at the same time, and Zhan Guiyou arrived in Hong Kong later on the same day.Sang Tian and Zhan Guiyou both hold 7-day tourist visas, and their legal stay is until November 21.

Police representatives told the media outside the court today that they have not obtained any information to confirm whether Li Leon has AIDS.Queen Mary Hospital said in response to Caixin reporter’s inquiry that it would not respond to the case because it did not obtain the consent of the patient and the case had already entered the judicial process.

Li Leon had a criminal record in Hong Kong.The indictment of the old case obtained by the Caixin reporter shows that on June 8, 2015, he used the identity of Li Lihua (Li Li-hua) to apply for a visa to the United States at the US Consulate in Hong Kong.In the case of justification, use a forged Hong Kong identity card.According to the indictment, he was still a Chinese citizen at the time.A representative of the Hong Kong police said outside the court today that the police are still unable to say whether the identities of Li Lihua and Li Leon are real or not.

The representative of the Hong Kong police stated that Li Lihua had attended the court hearing that began on October 25, and he did not show up until after 2:30 pm on October 26.According to the court records, Li Lihua had paid 1 million Hong Kong dollars in bail at that time, and her litigation guarantor had also paid another 2 million Hong Kong dollars in personnel guarantees.After Li Lihua abandoned the bail and fled, the court announced at that time that all the personnel guarantee funds would be confiscated.The lawyer for the prosecution of the new case stated that they plan to apply for the confiscation of the remaining HK$1 million bail.

According to Tianyancha, a person with the same name as Li Lihua serves as the legal representative of 18 companies in the Mainland, and his business includes several beauty, biotechnology, and medical investment.

Li Leon is also one of the major shareholders of China Environmental Technology Holdings Limited (00646.HK), a listed company in Hong Kong.The information disclosed by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange shows that Li Leon invested HK$175.5 million in China Environmental Technology Holdings through the company’s PFI in January 2017, holding a 17.81% stake in China Environmental Technology. Since then, he has bought and sold shares several times.19.74% equity of the company.

As of press time, China Environmental Technology has not responded to Caixin's inquiries about Li Leon.

Hong Kong media quoted sources as saying that Li Leon's trip to Hong Kong was to personally resolve a financial transaction involving hundreds of millions of dollars.

According to public information, Li Leon once served as a speaker for an online video column in the Mainland. He claimed to have graduated from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. The website once showed that his Chinese name was Li Liang.Public information also shows that he is the founder and medical director of a company called PFI Pacific Reproductive Medicine Center, which claims to provide IVF and other related reproductive services.

According to historical information on the Internet, the PFI website once published that Li Leon is a practicing physician in reproductive medicine at the School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, and is also a member of several European and American reproductive medicine societies.At present, the above information cannot be found on the PFI website.

On November 16, the day Li Leon escaped, the stock price of China Environmental Technology fell 49%.

The company announced on November 19 that it had noticed the news about Li Leon (李亮), but believed that it would not affect the company's daily operations.■