HE KIDNAPPED ASIA’S RICHEST MAN’S SON FOR $160 MILLION… THEN ASKED THE BILLIONAIRE HOW TO INVEST THE MONEY

By Publisher Ray Carmen

Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.

One of the most extraordinary kidnapping cases in modern history involved Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing and his eldest son, Victor Li.

In 1996, notorious gangster Cheung Tze-keung abducted Victor Li and demanded one of the largest ransom payments ever recorded. Reports have long stated that the ransom amounted to around HK$1.038 billion—worth roughly US$130–160 million, depending on exchange rates at the time.

What happened next became the stuff of legend.

According to widely repeated accounts, after collecting the ransom, Cheung reportedly asked Li Ka-shing a remarkable question:

“If you had this money, how would you invest it?”

Rather than reacting with anger or fear, the billionaire is said to have calmly shared investment principles based on patience, diversification and long-term thinking.

Whether every detail of the conversation has been perfectly preserved over time remains debated, but the story has become one of Asia’s most famous business legends.

It reflects an extraordinary contrast between two very different mindsets.

One man saw wealth as something to seize overnight.

The other had spent decades building one of the world’s largest business empires through discipline, careful investment and calculated risk.

Li Ka-shing went on to become one of the most respected investors of his generation, with interests spanning ports, telecommunications, infrastructure, retail, energy and real estate across the globe.

The kidnapping shocked Asia, but the story’s enduring fascination lies in what allegedly happened after the ransom was paid—a conversation about money, investing and the difference between acquiring wealth and creating it.

For many entrepreneurs, the lesson is timeless:

Money can be won in a moment.

Wisdom takes a lifetime.

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