Prosecutors in the JPEX fraud case in Hong Kong received permission to adjourn the case until next year so that they can organise the case files at a hearing on Monday at the city’s Eastern Magistrate’s Court, according to local media reports.
The next hearing will take place on March 16 for the group of social media influencers accused of promoting JPEX and acting as the public face of its over-the-counter cryptocurrency trading shops.
They face charges including conspiracy to defraud, fraud, inducing others fraudulently or recklessly to invest in virtual assets, and dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence.
Seven of the eight defendants appearing in court were granted bail under their original conditions. Among those charged are lawyer-turned-influencer Joseph Lam, YouTuber Chan Wing-yee, former TVB actor Cheng Chun-hei and fitness instructor Chiu King-yin. Cheng, who did not apply for bail, will remain in custody.
JPEX collapsed in September 2023 after Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) warned that the platform was unlicensed and had made misleading claims. Users subsequently reported frozen withdrawals. Authorities say more than 2,700 victims lost a combined total of over $206 million (HK$1.6 billion).
On November 5 this year, police arrested and charged 16 people, including six alleged core members of the JPEX syndicate, seven individuals linked to cryptocurrency over-the-counter exchanges, and three puppet account holders. More than 80 people have been arrested in the course of the investigation.
Those arrested face charges ranging from conspiracy to defraud and money laundering to obstructing justice and unlawfully inducing others to invest in virtual assets under Hong Kong’s anti-money laundering laws.
JPEX and crypto in Hong Kong
The collapse of JPEX has had broader repercussions for Hong Kong’s cryptocurrency sector, prompting changes in how the SFC communicates licensing information and educates the public about virtual asset risks. The scandal also dampened public sentiment toward cryptocurrencies at a time when the government was trying to promote the city as a hub for Web3 and digital assets.
In addition to Hong Kong, JPEX also promoted its services and had victims in the Philippines and Taiwan.
Three men believed to be behind the operation remain at large and are the subject of Interpol red notices. They are Hong Kong nationals Mok Tsun-ting, 27; Cheung Chon-cheng, 30; and Kwok Ho-lun, 28.
Kwok, the sole director of a company linked to JPEX in Australia, has been sought for questioning since 2023. Authorities have not confirmed reports that he may still be in Australia.