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A staff member arranges gold necklaces in a display case at a jewellery store in Beijing. Photo by Reuters |
He only discovered the loss when he opened his safe to cash out part of his holdings and found it empty. The gold was estimated to be worth around HK$3.5 million (US$448,000). The man shared online that he had been buying gold every month since graduating, treating it as a long-term plan for his own future home.
When confronted, his mother admitted she had sold everything to help his brother purchase a flat, arguing that the brother would repay him gradually. She reportedly told him to simply start saving again, insisting the wedding could not go ahead without an apartment, according to The Standard.
The argument escalated after his father became enraged, allegedly threatening him with a kitchen knife and ordering him to leave the house. The man then moved into a hotel and later sent his brother a three-day ultimatum via WhatsApp, demanding full repayment or he would report the matter to police and expose it publicly.
His brother attempted to negotiate, saying he needed the money for the wedding and offering to return one-third of the amount within a week. The man refused, saying the gold belonged to him and lamenting that money had damaged their relationship.
The post went viral online, attracting both sympathy and skepticism. The man later explained that his mother knew the safe code because she had often helped him buy the gold, and the receipts were taken during the sale because proof of ownership was required.
Eventually, he decided not to press charges, fearing the consequences for his parents. Instead, he treated about one-third of the stolen amount, roughly HK$1.1 million, as a wedding gift. “As elder brother, I’ve done my utmost. Our bond ends here,” he wrote.
His brother promised to repay the remaining HK$2.75 million by the end of February, while the man said he would move out permanently and skip the wedding.
According to Sing Tao Dailylawyer Vitus Leung Wing-hang said the act could be considered theft, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, with betrayal of family trust potentially worsening the case.
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