| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | George Tan |
| Defunct | 1983 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong |
Area served | Australia Japan Malaysia New Zealand Taiwan Thailand United States |
| Products | Diversified Investments |
Carrian Group was aHong Kongconglomerate. It collapsed amidst a major corruption and fraud scandal.[1]
Carrian was founded in 1977 byGeorge Tan Soon-gin, who fledSingapore following a bankruptcy in 1974.[2][3]
In 1979, Tan acquired a holding company that became his Carrian Investment Limited (CIL) for HK$700 million. Carrian Holdings Limited (CHL), a private company, controlled 53% of CIL equity, and Carrian Nominee, a company held 100% of CHL shares.[4]
In January 1980, the group, through a 75% owned subsidiary, purchased Gammon House (nowBank of America Tower) inCentral District, Hong Kong forHK$998 million. It was then the most expensive real estate transaction in the Hong Kong's history. It grabbed the limelight in April 1980 when it announced the sale of Gammon House forHK$1.68 billion, a high return on investment that surprised Hong Kong's property and financial markets and developed public interest in Carrian.[5]
In the same year, Carrian capitalised on its notoriety by acquiring a publicly listed Hong Kong company, renaming it Carrian Investments Ltd., and using it as a vehicle to raise funds from the financial markets.
The group grew rapidly in the early 1980s to include properties inMalaysia,Thailand,Singapore,Philippines,Japan, and theUnited States. Its rapid expansion has led to rumors over the source of its capital, with various rumors speculating the capital came fromImelda Marcos,Gosbank, and a lumber corporation inBorneo.[3]
Carrian Group became involved in a scandal withBank Bumiputra Malaysia Berhad ofMalaysia and its Hong Kong–based subsidiaryBumiputra Malaysia Finance. Following allegations of accounting fraud, a murder of a bank auditor, and the suicide of the firm's adviser, the Carrian Group collapsed in 1983, the largest bankruptcy in Hong Kong.[6]
The scandal and its ultimate downfall eventually exposed the mystery surrounding the seemingly inexhaustible capital that Carrian had as nothing more than loans from banking institutions.[3]
Almost no traces of Carrian Group remain following its collapse. A Hong Kong restaurant that specializes inTeochew cuisine, Carriana, was loosely named after Carrian due to links between one of its former owners,Chim Pui-chung, and Carrian. Carriana is currently a listed company in Hong Kong.[7]
The company, at various points of its existence, had operations inpesticide,tourism, shipping, insurance, taxi fleets, and restaurants.[3][8]
However, the company's main business is noted to be inreal estate.
The 2020TVB drama seriesOf Greed and Ants (黃金有罪) is based on various aspects of the fraud scandal that Carrian Group was engulfed in.[9]
The 2023 filmThe Goldfinger (金手指) is based on the events surrounding the company’s rise and subsequent fall. Produced and distributed byEmperor Motion Pictures, the film was released on 30 December 2023.[10]