Patrick Ho

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Patrick Ho

| native_name = {{nobold|何志平}}

| native_name_lang = zh-hk

| honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=HKG|size=100%|GBS|JP}}

| image = Patrick Ho.jpg

| image_size =

| nationality = Chinese (HK)

| order = Secretary for Home Affairs

| term_start = 1 July 2002

| term_end = 30 June 2007

| 1blankname = Chief executive

| 1namedata = Tung Chee-hwa
Sir Donald Tsang

| predecessor = Lam Woon-kwong

| successor = Tsang Tak-sing

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|7|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hong Kong

| alma_mater = Vanderbilt University

| spouse = Sibelle Hu Huizhong (m. 1997)

| children = 1

}}

{{Chinese

| title = Ho Chi-ping (Patrick)

| t = 何志平

| sl = Ho⁴ Ji³ Ping⁴

| p = Hé Zhìpíng

| j = ho4 zi3 ping4

| y = hòh ji pìhng

}}

Patrick Ho Chi-ping {{Post-nominals|country=HKG|GBS|JP}} (born 24 July 1949 in Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong ophthalmologist turned politician.

He joined the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Preparatory Committee of Hong Kong SAR.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=17854&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20020621&sear_year=2002|title= Tung delays naming new team|work= The Standard|date=21 June 2002}} When the Principal Officials Accountability System was introduced in 2002, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Tung Chee-wah appointed Ho Secretary for Home Affairs, a senior ministerial post.

He was convicted of bribery offences in a U.S. federal court in 2018. The Medical Council of Hong Kong ruled that his name was removed from the General Register for a period of 1 year from May 2021.{{Cite web|last=張嘉敏|date=2021-05-11|title=何志平涉美國賄賂案罪成醫委會裁定專業失德釘牌12個月|url=https://www.hk01.com/社會新聞/623490/何志平涉美國賄賂案罪成-醫委會裁定專業失德-釘牌12個月|access-date=2021-05-11|website=香港01|language=zh-HK}}

Education and ophthalmologist career

Ho studied in the Diocesan Boys' School, Hong Kong. He won a scholarship and was educated in the US for 16 years. An ophthalmologist who trained in eye surgery with special expertise in retinal surgery, he was a fellow at Harvard Medical School. He returned to Hong Kong in 1984 and taught eye surgery at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as Professor of Ophthalmology. From 1988 to 2000, he was Professor of Surgery (Ophthalmology) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.{{cite news|newspaper=South China Morning Post|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2176612/musician-eye-surgeon-and-politician-who-married-actress|title=Musician, eye surgeon and a politician who married an actress, Patrick Ho led a varied, eventful life before bribery scandal|last=Cheung|first=Gary|date=6 December 2018|access-date=16 March 2019}}

Political career

Since 1993, he has been a member of the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and in 1995, he was appointed as a member of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Selection Committee of the first SAR Government. Ho was appointed vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute in 1996. In July 1997, he was appointed to the Provisional Urban Council until its disestablishment in 1999. In 2000, Ho was appointed Chairman of the Arts Development Council.

In 2002, he joined the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Tung Chee-wah's second HKSAR administration as the Secretary for Home Affairs when the Principal Officials Accountability System was introduced. He served in this senior ministerial post for five years.{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2120918/former-hong-kong-home-secretary-patrick-hos-life-civil|title='Civil diplomat' Patrick Ho tapped UN connections to broker deals|work=South China Morning Post|date=21 November 2017}}

In 2003, Ho was present at the Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin following tradition and drew Kau Chim sticks to foretell the fortune of Hong Kong. He drew number 83 which represented bad times ahead. Hong Kong experienced a fatal SARS outbreak and an attempted imposition of Basic Law Article 23, which led to massive protests at the 1 July march. Ever since, no Hong Kong minister has represented the government to the temple.

Ho was appointed chairman of the Sports Council in 2005.{{cite news|newspaper=South China Morning Post|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/485447/ho-takes-charge-supreme-body|title=Ho Takes Charge of Supreme Body|date=14 January 2005|access-date=15 March 2019}}

After leaving the government in 2007, he joined a lobbying firm established and funded by CEFC China Energy (CEFC), a Shanghai-based energy company, of which he became vice-chairman and secretary-general. The organisation, under Ho, was a leading exponent of the Xi Jinping's Belt & Road Initiative.{{cite news|newspaper=China Daily|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2017-05/12/content_29312900.htm|title=China's worldwide infrastructure investment promotes globalization 2.0|date=12 May 2017|last=Zhuan|first=Ti|access-date=16 March 2019}}

Bribery and money laundering arrest and conviction

Ho and former Senegalese foreign minister Cheikh Gadio were arrested in New York in late November 2017, charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering. The pair offered a US$2 million bribe to former Chad President Idriss Déby for oil rights, and deposited a US$500,000 bribe to an account designated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda on behalf of CEFC. The million-dollar bribes were disguised as donations.{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2120784/us-arrests-former-hong-kong-home-secretary-patrick-ho|title=US arrests Patrick Ho over alleged oil bribes|work=South China Morning Post|date=21 November 2017}} The energy fund, chaired by Ye Jianming, denied authorising Ho to engage in corrupt practices.{{cite news|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/11/21/explainer-patrick-hos-bribery-allegations-top-hong-kong-official-us-police-custody/|title=Explainer: Patrick Ho's bribery allegations – from top Hong Kong official to US police custody|newspaper=Hong Kong Free Press|date=21 November 2017|last=Cheng|first=Kris|access-date=23 November 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/file/1021931/download|title=Indictment Case 1:17-mj-08611-UA}}

James Biden, brother of Joe Biden, got a call from Patrick Ho when Ho was arrested by the FBI. James Biden said he believed it had been meant for Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden.{{cite web |last1=Stevenson |first1=Alexandra |last2=Barboza |first2=David |last3=Goldstein |first3=Matthew |last4=Mozur |first4=Paul |title=A Chinese Tycoon Sought Power and Influence. Washington Responded |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/business/cefc-biden-china-washington-ye-jianming.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=11 December 2020 |date=12 December 2018}}

On 5 December 2018, Ho was convicted on seven counts of bribery and money laundering, following a federal trial in which Gadio stood as a witness for prosecutors.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/05/business/cefc-china-patrick-ho.html|newspaper=New York Times|title=Ex-Hong Kong Official Convicted in Bribe Case Involving Chinese Oil Company|date=5 December 2018}}{{cite web|author=Lum, Alvin|author2=Emma Kazryan|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2176601/patrick-ho-convicted-us-court-7-8-counts-bribery-and|title=Former Hong Kong minister Patrick Ho Chi-ping convicted in US court on 7 of 8 counts in bribery and money-laundering case|work=South China Morning Post|date=2018-12-06|accessdate=2018-12-07}} He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and fined $400,000 in March 2019.{{cite news|newspaper=Hong Kong Free Press|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/03/26/breaking-3-years-prison-us400k-fine-ex-hong-kong-official-patrick-ho-guilty-bribery/|title=3-years prison and US$400k fine for ex-Hong Kong official Patrick Ho, guilty of bribery|last1=Cheng|first1=Kris|last2=Grundy|first2=Tom|date=26 March 2019|access-date=26 March 2019}}

After being imprisoned at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York, as of 9 June 2020, the South China Morning Post reported that Ho has been released and deported to Hong Kong.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/|title = Inmate Locator}}{{Cite web|date=2020-06-09|title=Disgraced former minister Patrick Ho returns to city after jail release|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3088264/disgraced-former-hong-kong-minister-patrick-ho-returns|access-date=2020-06-09|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}}

Subsequent legal matters

In 2023, Ho was identified in a US federal criminal indictment of Gal Luft in a Chinese government attempt to influence the 2016 United States elections.{{Cite news |last=Aaron |first=Blake |date=July 15, 2023 |title=Indictment paints tale of Chinese interests and 2016 Trump campaign |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/15/indictment-paints-tale-chinese-interests-2016-trump-campaign/ |access-date=July 18, 2023}}

Family

Ho has a daughter and a son from his marriage to a Chinese woman in the US. After returning to Hong Kong in 1984, he divorced his wife.

Ho married Taiwanese actress Sibelle Hu Huizhong on 5 September 1997. They have a daughter, Audrey Ho Ka Chun, born in 2000.{{cite news|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=20 September 1997|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/issue/straitstimes19970910-1|title=Taiwanese Actress Weds Hong Kong Surgeon|page=20}}