Abroad
HK actor Raymond Wong, 80, gets 5 months' jail for insider trading
During sentencing, the judge acknowledged the veteran artiste's contributions to the Hong Kong film industry, his age, and the relatively modest financial gains involved.
June 10, 2026, 11:36 AM
Photos from HK01 and Unseen Trailers/YouTube
Veteran Hong Kong actor and movie producer Raymond Wong has been sentenced to five months' jail and fined HK$99,720 (S$16,380) for insider trading on Jun. 9.
He was previously convicted of sharing insider information with his sister to trade shares of an entertainment company that he chaired and had a controlling stake in at the time.
The 80-year-old will not have to begin serving his jail sentence immediately, as the Hong Kong court granted him bail of HK$200,000 (S$32,860) pending his appeal, according to a Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) press release.
On top of the fine, Wong was also ordered by the Hong Kong court to pay HK$374,305 (S$61,500) to SFC for investigation costs.
Background of the case
Following a 16-day trial, the Hong Kong court ruled on May 22 that Wong had advised his sister via multiple WhatsApp messages in 2017 to trade shares of Pegasus Entertainment Holdings, now known as Transmit Entertainment.
At the time, he was negotiating with a potential buyer to sell his controlling stake in the company.
He tipped his sister off about the deal well before it was disclosed to the market, and it allowed her to ultimately earn a total net profit that exceeded HK$1 million (S$163,000).
In one message, he told his sister, "Buy as much as you can when it is under HK$0.20 [S$0.03]."
Sentencing
In sentencing, the judge acknowledged Wong's exceptional contributions to the Hong Kong film industry, The Standard reported.
This was highlighted by the actor's lawyer in the mitigation plea.
Wong starred in movies such as the "Happy Ghost" series and the "All’s Well, Ends Well" series, and was also a producer behind the "Ip Man" movie series.
The judge also noted Wong's old age as posing a low risk of reoffending, and the relatively modest financial gains involved.
According to South China Morning Post, the judge set a starting point for the sentence at nine months' in prison, then reduced it to reflect Wong’s contributions to society.
