What Happened to the Computer Technician Who Leaked 1,300 Explicit Photos of Edison Chen and Top Chinese Actresses?
Edison Chen has recently resurfaced in public discourse across Asia, as his past apology and retirement speech were compared to actor Kim Soo Hyun’s current scandal involving the late Kim Sae Ron. This renewed attention has brought back focus on the infamous photo scandal that once rocked the entire Asian entertainment industry.
Back in 2008, not only Chinese entertainment but the entire Asian showbiz scene was shaken when 1,300 explicit photos of Edison Chen with numerous Chinese actresses were leaked online. The scandal irreversibly damaged the lives of those involved. Even after 17 years, the actions of the man who spread these private images, computer technician Sze Ho-chun, remain a source of outrage. So, what consequences did he face for his unlawful actions?
A Scandal Sparked by a Broken Laptop
According to Toutiao and corroborated by public records, the scandal began when Edison Chen discovered a fault with his laptop and asked his assistant to take it in for repair. Because the device contained sensitive and private images, Edison personally met with the shop owner to stress the importance of confidentiality once the data was restored.
The laptop was handed to Sze Ho-chun, an employee at the computer repair shop Elite Multimedia in Hong Kong. Known for his cautious nature, Edison Chen even assigned an assistant to monitor the repair process daily. However, during data recovery, Sze secretly copied the sensitive materials onto a USB drive while his actions went unnoticed.
Sze later transferred the files to his personal computer and kept them at his home. Months later, he showed photos of Gillian Chung and other actresses to coworkers. Realizing the legal and ethical gravity of his actions, he claimed to have deleted the files.
What he didn’t anticipate was that his colleague Sze Ka-chun (no relation despite the similar name) had secretly kept copies of the photos. Sze Ka-chun then shared them with two female coworkers, Choi Yuk-fan and Leung Ting-yan, and even burned them onto a CD that he gave as a keepsake to Choi.
Eventually, Sze Ka-chun mistakenly uploaded the images to the internal company server, triggering the mass leak. The photos rapidly spread across the internet, sparking one of the most explosive scandals in Chinese entertainment history. A total of 1,300 photos showing Edison Chen in intimate situations with 10 women, including two non-celebrities, were leaked. The first actresses identified in the leaks included Cecilia Cheung, Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Candice Chan, Mandy Chen, and Rachel Ngan.
Punishment for the Offender
On January 29, 2008, Edison Chen and several female victims reported the leak to the police, prompting an urgent investigation. Authorities identified five suspects, two men and three women, as being involved in the breach of privacy.
On February 2, 2008, Sze Ho-chun was arrested by Hong Kong police and charged with dishonest use of a computer and distributing obscene content. Police discovered 1,300 explicit images divided into 11 folders on his personal computer. Only about half of those were publicly circulated. His quick arrest helped limit the scale of the damage.
Sze Ho-chun was ultimately sentenced to 8 months and 15 days in prison. The remaining four suspects were not charged and testified as witnesses. However, public sentiment in China viewed the punishment as too lenient, given the devastating impact on Edison Chen and especially the female victims. Critics argued that the other employees involved had knowingly enabled the leak and should have been held accountable as well.
According to Toutiao, after serving his sentence, Sze Ho-chun returned to working in computer repair. In media interviews, he denied spreading the photos, claiming he merely stored them. Still, he admitted the scandal was a life-altering mistake, saying, “I would never dare violate a customer’s privacy again. My arrogance and curiosity harmed so many people. I owe them a sincere apology.”
Among the most heavily impacted were Gillian Chung and Cecilia Cheung, who faced immense personal and professional fallout from the leaked images.
