MORE investors have come forward alleging they were deceived when investing in a company which collapsed earlier this year.

Police in Hong Kong are conducting an international investigation into Liverpool-based Absolute Living Developments (ALD), which had been part-way through three apartment projects in Bradford when it was placed in compulsory liquidation.

This left overseas investors, who had been buying flats off-plan as buy-to-let investments, fearing they had lost millions of pounds in deposits.

In August, detectives said they were investigating reports from 118 people “who suspected that they were deceived while investing in properties”, but since then a further 44 people have made complaints, bringing the total number of alleged victims to 162.

The total value of the properties involved has stayed about the same, at HK$74m (£7.7m).

A spokesman said: “The case is being followed up by the Commercial Crime Bureau. No arrest has been made so far.”

Meanwhile, efforts to restart construction work at one of the flats projects left unfinished by ALD continue.

Former council office Olicana House, in Little Germany, Bradford, is now in the hands of investment firm DS7, which had been a secured investor in the ALD scheme.

DS7 has been trying to get Olicana House’s overseas investors to transfer their contracts from ALD to themselves so it can restart building work.

But investors have told the Telegraph & Argus they have been very reluctant to take this step.

One said buyers didn't want to sign a new contract with DS7 without the consent and supervision of ALD’s liquidator, Louise Brittain, and they had contacted Ms Brittain to ask her advice.

DS7’s director, Charlie Cunningham, said so far, not enough investors had agreed to its latest proposal for it to proceed.

He added: “One of the buyers suggested putting the whole process through the liquidator.”

He said DS7 was asking the liquidator about this.

DS7 has also taken possession of another of ALD’s Bradford buildings - Alexander House in Bolton Road, Bradford, where a scheme to turn the building into flats scheme had barely begun.

Mr Cunningham said a similar proposal had gone out to investors in Alexander House.

He said: “We are going to do the same thing with Alexander House. The big difference with Olicana is it is three-quarters built.”

He said if they could complete Olicana House, “I think that will help get other people on-side”.

Ms Brittan could not be reached for comment yesterday.

She has previously told the Telegraph & Argus she could not discuss details of specific cases if they were not already in the public domain.

DS7’s latest accounts remain overdue with Companies House. The company has said these should be filed in the next couple of weeks.

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