Influencer allegedly boiled in a pot of vegetable soup after financially supporting ex-husband and his family after divorce
A clash over financial decisions allegedly resulted in a murder plot.
A Hong Kong influencer was financially supporting her ex-husband and his family before they allegedly murdered her and dismembered her body after getting involved in a dispute over the sale of a luxury apartment she owned. The violent crime, which had shocked Hong Kong, is facing renewed scrutiny as the murder trial of the ex-husband and the former in-laws began in September.
In 2023, fashionista and socialite Abby Choi, who had a significant online following, was reported missing on February 21. Three days later, her body was discovered dismembered at an apartment, supposedly turned into a makeshift butchery, in the Tai Po district. Choi’s ex-husband Alex Kwong, his brother Anthony Kwong, and their father Kwong Kau were arrested as the main suspects responsible for her killing.
All three officially pleaded not guilty to her murder in the Sept. 30 hearing, per CNN. On the other hand, the prosecution, led by Charlotte Draycott, alleged that “money seems to be the root cause” behind the Kwong family’s actions during her opening speech. Draycott emphasized the wealth disparity between Choi and her former in-laws, and claimed that disputes over finances and Choi’s intention to sell her luxury apartment were what triggered the family to allegedly murder the influencer.
Prosecution alleges money as the motive behind murder of influencer
Despite Choi’s divorce from Alex, she reportedly continued to support him and his family through a “generous allowance” so that her two children, whom she shared with Alex, could be cared for by their paternal grandparents. In 2019, Choi purchased a HK$60 million (approximately $7.6 million) apartment in Kadoorie Hill, registering it under Kwong Kau’s name to avoid significant stamp duty.
In 2022, tensions arose leading up to her death when Choi moved the family out of the apartment and attempted to sell it, according to the prosecution. Choi had described her former father-in-law as “ungrateful” and “crooked,” and feared that her own children would be turned against her. While Kwong Kau disowned the influencer and allegedly tried to assault her.
With the arguments and loss of the luxury home he had been living in, prosecutors claimed Kwong Kau enlisted the help of his sons to murder Choi. “If she died, the flat would be in his name, and he could move back there,” Draycott told the jury. “Each of them played a part by bringing her death and burying her body.”
Only parts of her body were found
Police reportedly discovered an electric saw, a meat mincer, a refrigerator, and clothing at the property rented by Kwong Kau in Tai Po—items that Kwong Kau and Anthony were spotted purchasing just days before. At the time of the discovery, police only found parts of Choi’s dismembered body. Choi’s legs were discovered stored inside the refrigerator, while her skull was supposedly boiled in a large pot containing vegetable soup.
The prosecution alleged that Choi was repeatedly struck in the head with a hammer inside a car that was driven by Anthony, with Alex also present inside. Draycott said the car brought Choi to rural Hong Kong, near the border with mainland China.
The tragedy came to light when a neighbor reported a foul odor and heard the sound of an electric saw. Kwong Kau and Anthony were arrested days later, while Alex was arrested at a ferry pier trying to escape Hong Kong, the prosecution said.
Meanwhile, Anthony worked as Choi’s driver, and on the day she went missing, she was headed to pick up her daughter from school. While Alex was unemployed and depended entirely on Choi for support, per Draycott. The murder trial is expected to last for eight weeks.
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