Huawei CFO released on bail for $10M

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A BC Supreme Court Judge has granted Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou bail.

The judge made a decision on day three of Meng’s bail hearing. The 46-year-old Chinese citizen was detained on Dec. 1 while changing planes in Vancouver on her way to Mexico.

Her bail is in the tune of $10 million, $7 million of which must be in cash.

The judge said Meng will have to follow multiple conditions, including surrendering her passports, wear an ankle bracelet, which will be monitored by a security team from Lions Gate, and be at home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

During the first day of her bail hearing, Crown revealed Meng was wanted due to an investigation into fraud and violations against U.S. sanctions against Iran.

The U.S. is accusing the company of using subsidiary Skycom to do business with Iran, which would bypass sanctions. Meng is accused to have previously insisted the two were separate companies.

In a Tuesday Facebook post, Huawei says the company adheres to all Canadian and U.S. laws and that it has faith authorities will come to a “just conclusion” in Meng’s case.

https://www.facebook.com/huawei/posts/10156672534435874?__xts__[0]=68.ARD4vBRmFOMAPE3r-kdsrt9rYocKl21VrUMmeh1Q_jW8GIsi4JbyheINAAI_vHvwqrHA-oT-8Ub-VV7tA5FnI5GbWyyg0MIsUYySX2wqroyAAYD0T9gjy0N1p7BZkOtTtv2lEY5bsxMPbEAzvqe4ArC6XlpuoZIpJDow312bTtOHYLPCA_IyqeR_3QRmg7iTpvnF55dpXWRCa7cVoQbjLDWZu0udbxGoAFk_4RZ6ikxHymaOLspGvegisbs83tLCYbJ6__v8oBqksq7xtm1zqLX3nKpO8ARwW4Ag9fh6N8_wJXowi9NIouVarmgyTBBuxewsyrylZQdD6iMr&__tn__=-R

 

RELATED: China pressures Canada, U.S. ahead of Huawei hearing

Meng’s lawyers introduced a number of sureties. One of them was a couple that has been in Canada since the 90s, who said they were willing to put up their $1.4 -million home. Another surety was a woman who said she knew Meng through working with her husband and was willing to put up her $6-million home.

Crown argued in court that Meng possed a flight risk given her wealth and what they claimed was a lack of connection to Vancouver.

If extradited and convicted, she could face sentences as long as 30 years.

But Richard Kurland, an immigration lawyer who’s been sitting in court, says it could take years for the extradition process and appeals to play out.

“She will be living 24/7 under private guard, paid by her, and confined to her residence on 28th and Crown with a curfew,” he adds.

Catherine Sas, another immigration lawyer, says this should be good news for a former Canadian diplomat now being detained in Beijing, but the judge’s decision would not factor into whether this might please the government of China.

“Judges deal with the facts before them and I can’t see that a judge would be entertaining evidence about what’s happened this morning,” she says. “This is going to be a longstanding case and it’s not going to be resolved anytime soon.”

As for whether Meng might still be a flight risk, Sas says bail being set at $10-million is a strong incentive for her to stay in Vancouver.

-With files from Denise Wong, Ash Kelly and the Canadian Press

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today