Brothel baron John Chow granted diversion

John Chow, who along with his brother Michael, dominates the sex trade in Wellington. Photo / Michael Craig

Rich lister and sex entrepreneur Ka Yu Chow, known as John Chow, has been granted diversion after a charge of threatening to injure another man was downgraded to disorderly behaviour.

Mr Chow's appearance was excused at the Wellington District Court today.

His lawyer Mike Antunovic told Judge Bill Hastings that Mr Chow had completed all his tasks needed for diversion.

The case was then dismissed.

He was originally charged with threatening to injure Malcolm Keith Walters on February 21.

Mr Chow and his brother Michael dominate the sex trade in Wellington - owning 70 per cent of businesses in the industry in the capital.

The Naenae College-educated brothers, who emigrated from Hong Kong in 1984, are also expanding their business in Auckland, and after battling strong opposition, have gained resource consent for a 15-storey brothel on Victoria Street.

Construction is being held up by a stoush with AIG Insurance over an unpaid insurance bill, which is set down for resolution this month in the High Court at Auckland.

Once the brothers' businesses are up and running - in about four years - the Chows will employ 400 prostitutes across five venues, earning them millions of dollars and providing the cashflow for their expanding commercial property interests.

Having achieved an estimated worth of $50 million each, the Chow brothers were included on the NBR Rich List for the first time this year.