Carrie Lam's Son Flees US

Chief Executive Carrie Lam with her son Joshua

 

Just a quick follow up to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and the sanctions imposed on her and 10 other local and Chinese officials by the US Treasury Department.

I had mentioned Lam's son, Joshua Lam Yuek-hay, 26, was studying at Harvard -- a PhD in mathematics -- but now it turns out he suddenly left the US to go back to Hong Kong due to a "family emergency".

A picture of Lam with his classmates

Reporters from FactWire News Agency tried to contact Lam in Boston, but was told by his landlord that he had been missing since July 25, and two days later left a Facebook message to his flatmate that he had to return to Hong Kong because of a "family emergency".

The landlord also received an email from Lam on July 27, agreeing to renew his lease for another year. However, he did not reply to subsequent emails to sign the lease attached to them, though he did pay rent for the month of August.

His roommate said Lam did not pack up all his belongings.

The landlord also tried to phone Lam, but the call was restricted by US carrier Verizon. One of the reasons listed on the website could be because of an outstanding phone bill.

While FactWire asked the CE's office to confirm if Joshua Lam is in Hong Kong, Apple Daily was able to track him down in the city, but there were no further details... yet. Maybe that's because he's in quarantine?

FactWire's timeline of Joshua Lam's disappearance

Very strange, but also perhaps the impending economic sanctions on his mother forced the younger Lam to leave the US.

Earlier Carrie Lam had told the media she would laugh off any penalties from the US, adding the sanctions would have no effect on her as she has no assets in the country.

Well, technically not anymore...