James Ting

James Henry Ting Wei (丁謂, born 1951) is a Shanghai-born Chinese-Canadian former business executive.

Early years

Ting was born in Shanghai in 1951 and moved to Hong Kong in 1958.^[1] Ting moved to Australia and moved to Canada with his wife to study engineering at the University of Toronto.^[2] After graduation, Ting founded International Semi Tech Microsystems in Toronto in 1981.^[3]

Building the empire

With Semi-Tech Ting expanded beyond computer components to acquire various high profile businesses like Singer Corporation, Sansui Electric, G.M. Pfaff and Akai. Before the empire collapsed in 1999, Ting sold them to Grande Holdings, which he founded in 1987.

Collapse and downfall

These businesses Ting was involved in and improper business practices brought down his empire, tarnished the businesses he led or acquired (Semi-Tech and Akai went bankrupt in 2000) and lead to his demise.^[4]

Ting fled Canada to avoid investigation by Canadian and US authorities^[5] and eventually Hong Kong to Macau. He was forced to return to Hong Kong, but left for China to avoid being investigated by Hong Kong regulators from 2000 to 2003.^[6] Arrested after flying back from Macau, Ting was then investigated by Hong Kong Police's Commercial Crimes Bureau and was convicted by Hong Kong courts for his improper dealings and sentenced to 6 years in prison in 2005.^[7] After serving only one year, Ting's conviction was overturned by Hong Kong's Court of Appeals and he escaped retrial in 2006.^[8]

Ting's whereabouts after his legal problems is unknown.

References