Most people believe that the punishment should fit the crime. And that certainly seems to be the case for former Macau casino “junket king”, Alvin Chau (周焯华). After a months-long case trial, Alvin was found guilty of fraud, operating a criminal syndicate and running illegal bets. He was then sentenced to 18 years of jail.
Alvin has reportedly gained over 680 billion yuan (~RM430 billion) from his operations. As such, his sentencing might be deserving for some. But, not everyone agrees. In fact, Hong Kong actor Chapman To (杜汶澤) recently stood up in his defence, claiming he was “a good boss”!
Shortly after the news was announced yesterday (19th January), Chapman took to his Facebook to talk about the Suncity Founder. However, unexpectedly, Chapman was not there to gloat or preach at Alvin. “The world is (black and white) and one should be wise and safe, but has Alvin Chau, whom you have laughed at for two days, hurt you?” Chapman questioned. As it turned out, the actor still held some belief in the casino “junket king”.
Chapman shared that he had once worked with Alvin as the latter has invested in several Hong Kong films before. “I remember that (Alvin) made me the box office champion of Hong Kong movies (one) year!” he said, referring to the 2012 comedy film “Vulgaria (低俗喜剧)”. Additionally, Chapman had been nominated for the Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Award and Golden Horse Award after his performance in that film.
But that was not all Alvin did. “When I was in (trouble), (Alvin) didn’t openly cut ties with me,” Chapman stated. “He will always be a good boss in my heart.” Chapman’s sincere entreaty encouraged others to speak out as well. Netizens were quick to agree, pointing out that he was well-respected. “When he was in Macau, the mid and lower level employees of the company praised him in private,” one admitted. Another claimed he was always polite to his employees, regardless of their status.
Well, it’s clear that Alvin Chau is still respected by others, despite his recent sentencing. However, we have to admit, that does not excuse his actions.
Sources: Facebook, China Press
