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To: RealMuLan who wrote (57820)	12/30/2004 8:59:59 AM
From: BubbaFred	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

Apex Digital Chairman Arrested in China 12.29.2004, 11:02 PM Chinese police have arrested the chairman of California-based electronics maker Apex Digital Inc., the U.S. Embassy confirmed Thursday, following reports that he was being investigated for financial fraud. David Ji, who founded Apex in 1999, was detained in October in the southern city of Shenzhen, Chinese newspapers had reported earlier. His detention followed an investigation by police in the western province of Sichuan - the home base of Chinese television maker Sichuan Changhong Electric Co., which says Apex owes it $467.5 million, the reports said. "The U.S. Consulate-General in Chengdu, China, has confirmed the arrest of David Longfen Ji," a U.S. Embassy official said Thursday on customary condition of anonymity. "Consular officials in Chengdu requested and were allowed consular access to this U.S. citizen," the official said. "We do not have permission ... to release further information." Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province. Apex, based in Ontario, Calif., did not immediately return calls Wednesday night. The privately-held company is a leading importer of Chinese-made televisions and DVD players to the United States. Ji, who was born in China, founded the firm with a Taiwanese partner. Changhong Electric said earlier this week it would post large losses in 2004 due in part to debt owed it by Apex, its main U.S. distributor. Changhong is "trying through legal channels to reduce the economic losses," company spokesman Liu Haizhong said Thursday. He said he didn't know Ji's legal status. Police in Sichuan's economic crimes investigation unit refused to comment on the case. forbes.com