Few understand how big an influence Hong Kong money is on the PRC. Over two decades ago I followed that money. In The Year of The Rat days in the late nineties, as the financial crimes investigator for the House Committee on Rules, I followed the actions of  one of the wealthiest men in the world.  Based in Hong Kong, multi-billionaire Li Ka-shing was one of the most important and richest men in Asia. His financial empire, Hong Kong based, was an important PRC early indicator of Chinese ruling class money and influence in their emergence into global financial markets. By all accounts it was recognized that the leaders of China in Beijing saw Li as a very smart man. I was told he actually had a financial “hot line” phone directly to the Chinese Communist Party Politburo. In trying to go direct in following PRC funds illegally flowing into the Clinton Administration, the biggest takeaway in those years was that the Bank of China was brilliant at...(Read Full Post)