Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, Apple Daily and media group Next Digital founder, was charged with fraud on Wednesday night in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and will appear in West Kowloon Court Thursday morning. Two other senior executives from Next Digital were also charged with fraud.

Lai was denied bail and is expected to be detained overnight, his lawyer said when leaving Mong Kok Police Station.

The three stand accused of breaching land-lease terms by using Next Digital's office space in Tseung Kwan O to provide company secretarial services.