A nun arrested for allegedly marrying two mainland monks in a residency scam is now accused of spending HK$109,632 in donations on personal items including designer lingerie, skincare products and jewellery.
The claim was made by lawyer Mary Jean Reimer - a board member of the Ting Wai Monastery in Tai Po where Sik Chi Ding was abbess - who said her investigation also revealed that the monastery had operated as an illegal columbarium.
Background
irector accuses chief nun of 'sham marriage, embezzlement' in Hong Kong monastery
Reimer said a powerful, anonymous, consortium eyeing 100,000 sq ft of land owned by the monastery had been trying to control its board so as to acquire the land. She felt her personal safety was under threat and urged the government to step in.
"The more I look into this, the more dark secrets are unveiled. I don't know what kind of power I'm dealing with," said the former actress, adding that she and her volunteer investigators had been constantly harassed. "The government has a responsibility."
Reimer said that although the monastery was registered as a charitable organisation and submitted its accounts as required by law, many items were suspicious.
The exterior of Ting Wai Monastery in Tai Po. Photo: David Wong
According to statements from April 1, 2009, to March 31 this year, HK$2.7 million was spent on "repairs and maintenance". Reimer said HK$4.9 million had been spent over the past decade.
"If that's the case, the monastery should've looked really nice. But when we went there earlier this year, the monastery was collapsing and it claimed that it didn't even have money to pay electricity bills," said Reimer, who earlier initiated a fundraising campaign that raised HK$5 million within six months.
Under items filed as repairs and maintenance, there was a receipt under Chi Ding's ID name for HK$7,170 for products from Shiseido Skincare House.
A sales memo of HK$11,340 for a "non-lace sexy bra" and other undergarments from lingerie shop BonLuxe was also found, along with receipts for pricey antique Chinese furniture.
"Is this maintenance for her body or the monastery?" Reimer said. She alleges that Chi Ding pocketed HK$585,050 of the donations since 2006.
Sik Chi Ting arrives at the monastery on Tuesday. Photo: David Wong
Chi Ding also signed off receipts for HK$595,000 in donations to a mainland monastery. One listed donations to a temple in Jingdezhen , but Reimer discovered that such a temple did not exist in the mainland city.
READ MORE: Chief nun and mainland Chinese monk arrested amid claims of marriage scam and embezzlement in Hong Kong monastery probe
Reimer said she had personally donated HK$100,000 to Chi Ding from the charitable foundation of her late husband, kung fu legend Lau Ka-leung, because she had claimed to be broke.
"Had I known she was giving red packets to irrelevant people, I would never have done that," she said.
She said the monastery had been operating an unlicensed columbarium and the authorities had warned that the urns would have to be removed, which would affect 200 families.
Reimer said she had reported the cases to the police but her lawyers had received a warning from an anonymous source, threatening a legal battle "until the end". She hoped the Department of Justice would step in to deal with the monastery.
"I'm just a retired person. I can only do this much," she said.
Neither the monastery nor Chi Ding could be reached for comment yesterday.
Reimer accused the government of failing to monitor charitable organisations. She said she was considering setting up a platform that would open up accounts of charities to the public.
"I thought of writing a letter to the chief executive, but I don't think it will be useful at all," she said.
The claim was made by lawyer Mary Jean Reimer - a board member of the Ting Wai Monastery in Tai Po where Sik Chi Ding was abbess - who said her investigation also revealed that the monastery had operated as an illegal columbarium.
Background
irector accuses chief nun of 'sham marriage, embezzlement' in Hong Kong monasteryReimer said a powerful, anonymous, consortium eyeing 100,000 sq ft of land owned by the monastery had been trying to control its board so as to acquire the land. She felt her personal safety was under threat and urged the government to step in.
"The more I look into this, the more dark secrets are unveiled. I don't know what kind of power I'm dealing with," said the former actress, adding that she and her volunteer investigators had been constantly harassed. "The government has a responsibility."
Reimer said that although the monastery was registered as a charitable organisation and submitted its accounts as required by law, many items were suspicious.
The exterior of Ting Wai Monastery in Tai Po. Photo: David Wong
According to statements from April 1, 2009, to March 31 this year, HK$2.7 million was spent on "repairs and maintenance". Reimer said HK$4.9 million had been spent over the past decade.
"If that's the case, the monastery should've looked really nice. But when we went there earlier this year, the monastery was collapsing and it claimed that it didn't even have money to pay electricity bills," said Reimer, who earlier initiated a fundraising campaign that raised HK$5 million within six months.
Under items filed as repairs and maintenance, there was a receipt under Chi Ding's ID name for HK$7,170 for products from Shiseido Skincare House.
A sales memo of HK$11,340 for a "non-lace sexy bra" and other undergarments from lingerie shop BonLuxe was also found, along with receipts for pricey antique Chinese furniture.
"Is this maintenance for her body or the monastery?" Reimer said. She alleges that Chi Ding pocketed HK$585,050 of the donations since 2006.
Sik Chi Ting arrives at the monastery on Tuesday. Photo: David Wong
Chi Ding also signed off receipts for HK$595,000 in donations to a mainland monastery. One listed donations to a temple in Jingdezhen , but Reimer discovered that such a temple did not exist in the mainland city.
READ MORE: Chief nun and mainland Chinese monk arrested amid claims of marriage scam and embezzlement in Hong Kong monastery probe
Reimer said she had personally donated HK$100,000 to Chi Ding from the charitable foundation of her late husband, kung fu legend Lau Ka-leung, because she had claimed to be broke.
"Had I known she was giving red packets to irrelevant people, I would never have done that," she said.
She said the monastery had been operating an unlicensed columbarium and the authorities had warned that the urns would have to be removed, which would affect 200 families.
Reimer said she had reported the cases to the police but her lawyers had received a warning from an anonymous source, threatening a legal battle "until the end". She hoped the Department of Justice would step in to deal with the monastery.
"I'm just a retired person. I can only do this much," she said.
Neither the monastery nor Chi Ding could be reached for comment yesterday.
Reimer accused the government of failing to monitor charitable organisations. She said she was considering setting up a platform that would open up accounts of charities to the public.
"I thought of writing a letter to the chief executive, but I don't think it will be useful at all," she said.
