Advertisement

Lawyer for Meng Wanzhou argues new evidence would challenge HSBC loan loss risk

Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, arrives at B.C. Supreme Court, in Vancouver, on Monday, March 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER — A lawyer for Huawei’s chief financial officer is asking a B.C. Supreme Court judge to admit new evidence in her extradition case.

Frank Addario says the evidence should be allowed if the Crown plans to argue that an international bank at the centre of Meng Wanzhou‘s fraud case suffered a real risk of loan loss as a result of her alleged actions.

Click to play video: 'Meng Wanzhou defence says Donald Trump comments tainted process'
Meng Wanzhou defence says Donald Trump comments tainted process

Meng is accused of misrepresenting Huawei’s control over technology company Skycom in a presentation to HSBC, putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Story continues below advertisement

Both she and Huawei deny the allegations.

Click to play video: 'Trudeau calls it ‘obvious’ that the 2 Michaels were arrested on ‘trumped up national security charges’'
Trudeau calls it ‘obvious’ that the 2 Michaels were arrested on ‘trumped up national security charges’

Addario says the evidence is an affidavit from an accountant that details credit facilities and loans issued by HSBC to Huawei subsidiaries and suggests there was never a risk of loss.

Addario also told the court that evidence provided by the United States in the case against Meng is unreliable because it includes a 2017 loan that wasn’t connected to HSBC.

“There never was any risk the bank could incur a loss,” Addario told the judge.

“The court needs accurate evidence about the loans and credit facilities.”

Advertisement

Sponsored content

AdChoices