High Court quashes suspended jail sentence for movie prop master over film cash

The word “props” marked on counterfeit cash used for a Hong Kong film. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.
The word “props” marked on counterfeit cash used for a Hong Kong film. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.

So it’s back to being funny money.

In a ruling delivered yesterday, the High Court overturned a conviction against a movie prop maker for possessing what was previously deemed to be “counterfeit” cash.

Justice Albert Wong also quashed the four-month suspended sentence given to Cheung Wai-chuen in June over the 223,000 fake banknotes — which have prop written on them — seized in 2016.

Upholding Cheung’s appeal, Wong ruled there was not enough evidence to show the veteran prop maker must of known, or reasonably believed, the notes — reportedly used  crime thriller film Trivisa — were convincing enough to pass for real currency.

He also noted that the conviction was flawed as the magistrate who found Cheung guilty had not actually inspected the individual banknotes held to be counterfeit, Apple Daily reports.

The magistrate, in convicting Cheung, had claimed that “nobody could rule out the risk of people stealing these fakes and using them as real money.”

In a written judgement, Wong noted that although the fake HK$1,000 bills looked like real money, they did have the words “props” written on them in small print.

He also pointed out their texture was different from real banknotes and that they lacked obvious security features like a security strip or water mark.

Wong also added that as the owner of film props company with some 15 years experience in the industry, Cheung was likely aware of the regulations surrounding cash used for films, which needs to be approved by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA).

Cheung’s co-defendant Law Yun-lam, a logistics firm employee, did not appeal his conviction and suspended sentence, which was also handed down in June.

The case — which was widely criticized by film industry figures — emerged after Law was found to have almost 10,000 fake HK$1000 bills in his car. He had borrowed them as part of a prank he was planning to play on a friend.

Police seized the rest of the fake money Cheung’s props company.

The appeal was supported by the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, who previously slammed the suspended jail sentences as “an international joke.”

Saying it was difficult to judge how the ruling would impact the film industry, Wong said his decision was based on evidence.



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