Hong Kong police arrested two men and a woman on November 6 on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud in connection with an alleged investment in handmade beer machines. The case involves more than HK$4 million, police said. Police had contacted six victims aged 55 to 81, most of them older people, according to HK01.
The project had been promoted since November 2025, police said. Investors were told the machines would be rented to businesses in mainland China, bringing guaranteed annual returns of up to 60%, with their principal repaid in full after two years.
The group allegedly built investors’ confidence through investment talks and social events, including restaurant meals and holiday celebrations. Prospective investors were taken to its Jordan office to taste the beer, while recruiters kept in frequent personal contact with older investors, HK01 reported.
The police investigation found that the company initially paid monthly returns, HK01 reported. In July 2026, the company said it needed to prepare for a Hong Kong listing and stopped payments for three months. Payments resumed in October at an annual rate of 6%.
The three arrested people were described as a company director, an office manager and an investor recruiter. Police said the company had no substantive operations and no plan to list in Hong Kong; some investment money had been transferred to group members’ personal accounts.