The general manager of Hong Kong's leading broadcaster and three other employees have been arrested by an anti-graft body on suspicion of corruption, a station official said Friday, in a case that has shocked the Chinese territory's entertainment industry.
Television Broadcasts Ltd. confirmed the arrests Thursday.
General Manager Stephen Chan's arrest was especially shocking in Hong Kong because he is the most public face of TVB, appearing at station events and hosting his own interview show that draws the city's top celebrities.
Agnes Lam, an information officer at the anti-graft body, declined to comment beyond the statement, but TVB's deputy controller for external affairs, Tsang Shing-ming, said the five suspects were still being held as of early Friday. Lam said they were not immediately charged.
The Ming Pao Daily News reported Friday the alleged corruption involves TVB executives steering business to companies that stage promotional activities at shopping malls and hotels and offering TVB artists at discounted prices.
Hong Kong's dominant free-to-air broadcaster declined to elaborate on the investigation.
Apart from Chan, the employees include Wilson Chan, head of business development, Wilson Chin, an executive producer, and actor Ning Jin.
Local television footage Thursday showed ICAC agents escorting Chan to TVB's headquarters as part of its investigation. Calls to Chan's mobile phone weren't immediately returned.
TVB said the probe won't affect the company's operations, and added it will fully cooperate with the agency in its investigation.
Founded by former movie mogul Run Run Shaw in 1967, TVB is a major producer of TV dramas and variety shows popular among Chinese speakers around the world. Its performing artist apprenticeship program became an incubator for entertainment talent, serving as an early training ground for movie stars such as Chow Yun-fat, Stephen Chow and Cannes best actor winner Tony Leung Chiu-wai.