Pansy Ho wins permanent court order over harassment
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Pansy Ho Chiu-king, chairwoman and executive director of MGM China Holdings, has won a High Court case to permanently stop a woman from contacting her after what the court found was a sustained campaign of harassment lasting about a year. The court also ordered the defendant, Steffi Chen Pan-yu, to pay Ho HK$1.8 million in damages. The judgment said Chen repeatedly sent emails and hand-delivered letters containing false allegations, including claims that Ho had promised her a senior role at MGM China. Deputy High Court Judge Grace Chow Chiu-man ruled on Wednesday that Ho had provided sufficient evidence to justify injunctive relief
Key Points
- The High Court judgment, handed down on Wednesday, said the harassment of Ho began in March 2025 and continued for about a year
- Chen, a former licensed broker, alleged Ho had falsely promised her a senior position at MGM China, despite Ho saying they had never met
- The court heard Chen delivered demand letters to Shun Tak's office, MGM China's Hong Kong branch, and Maisy Ho Chiu-ha's home in October 2025
- Chen also instructed a law firm to seek HK$21.26 million for consultancy services and a failed employment offer, threatening publicity if unpaid
- Judge Grace Chow rejected Chen's defence, including her claim that Ho had not actually brought the civil action against her
Why It Matters
The ruling shows Hong Kong's civil courts are prepared to grant lasting protection when repeated unwanted contact escalates into intimidation and harassment. For prominent business figures and companies, it also underlines that false allegations paired with monetary demands can lead not only to injunctions but substantial damages