@connectediseverything: The kidnapping occurred in Hong Kong in 1996, and the extraordinary conversation about investing the ransom was later recounted by the billionaire himself. However, some details in viral versions of the story have been exaggerated or simplified. In May 1996, notorious Hong Kong gangster Cheung Tze-keung, popularly known as “Big Spender,” kidnapped Victor Li, the eldest son of billionaire businessman Li Ka-shing, who was then regarded as Asia’s richest man. Cheung initially demanded HK$2 billion for Victor’s release. Li Ka-shing reportedly explained that he could immediately provide only HK$1 billion, approximately US$129–130 million at the time. The gangster accepted the money, and Victor was released unharmed. The ransom was one of the largest ever reported in a kidnapping case. According to Li Ka-shing’s account, revealed publicly in a 2013 interview, Cheung subsequently contacted him to ask how he could safely invest the ransom money. Imagine the extraordinary situation: a criminal who had just stolen a fortune from a billionaire was asking that same billionaire for financial advice! Li reportedly told Cheung that he had obtained enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life and encouraged him to turn over a new leaf and become an honest man. Although the kidnapping and ransom are well documented, the precise details of their conversation have been repeated through various accounts, so not every popular version should be treated as a verbatim transcript. Cheung did not abandon his criminal activities. In 1997, he was involved in another high-profile kidnapping, targeting Hong Kong property tycoon Walter Kwok. Chinese authorities eventually arrested Cheung, and he was executed in mainland China in 1998. His story illustrates an important distinction between acquiring money and building lasting wealth: money obtained through crime cannot provide the security, freedom, or legitimate success that comes from creating value through honest work and sound decisions. Li Ka-shing’s response also highlights the contrast between a businessman who spent decades building an empire and a criminal who attempted to obtain a fortune through violence.

Victor Chidoziem Nnorom

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Region: NG

Sunday 25 October 2026 10:20:16 GMT