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Apr 2026Estate agent charged by ICAC for bribe solicitation over subordinate’s role in $100m property transactionAn estate agent was charged by the ICAC yesterday (April 8) for allegedly soliciting a bribe of over $63,000 from a subordinate for making a false representation regarding the latter’s role in procuring the sale and purchase transaction of a property valued at over $100 million.Shao Li-ya, 47, branch manager of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty), faces one count of soliciting an advantage as an agent, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.The defendant was released on bail, pending her appearance at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (April 10) for plea.At the material time, the defendant was the branch manager at a Midland Realty branch in Tsim Sha Tsui. According to Midland Realty’s policy, a branch manager was eligible to receive an overriding commission based on the team’s turnover, whereas only a self-earned commission, without any overriding commission, would be granted for a transaction secured solely by a branch manager.The first charge alleges that in July 2023, the defendant solicited a bribe of over $63,000 from a subordinate estate agent for representing to Midland Realty that the subordinate was one of the handling agents in the sale and purchase transaction of a house in Sha Tin.The ICAC investigation stemmed from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that by falsely claiming that she and her subordinate had participated in procuring the property transaction valued at over $100 million, the defendant received an overriding commission and a sales commission totalling over $1.3 million while her subordinate received a sales commission of over $130,000.The defendant further faces a fraud charge relating to the attendance of her daughter, who was a sales trainee under her supervision. It is alleged that between August and November 2023, the defendant and her daughter made false representations to Midland Realty regarding the daughter’s attendance records, and with intent to defraud, induced Midland Realty to release salary payments totalling over $5,100 to the daughter.While the defendant falsely represented to Midland Realty that her daughter was on duty for over 50 days between August and early October 2023, ICAC enquiries revealed that the daughter was out of Hong Kong for 19 days during that period.Midland Realty rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 08
Apr 2026Ex-EPD landfill contractor staff among three admit roles in construction waste disposal bribery and fraud caseAn ICAC investigation revealed that staff of a contractor for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) allegedly accepted advantages from employees of a waste disposal company to assist in unloading construction waste at a landfill free of charge by disguising construction waste loaded on trucks as non-construction waste to defraud the EPD of disposal charges totalling over $830,000. Three defendants entered guilty pleas at the District Court today (April 8).The three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. They are two employees of an EPD contractor, namely Chung Pui-chun, 60; and Cheung Kam-ning, 40, both weighbridge operators of Far East Landfill Technologies Limited (Far East) at the material time; and Lin Wenjian, 33, a former worker of T.S. Industrial Materials Recycle Limited (TSL).Deputy District Judge Ms Leung Ka-kie adjourned the case to April 30 for mitigation and granted bail to the trio. Meanwhile, two charges of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, against Chung and Cheung were left on court file.At the material time, Far East was engaged by the EPD to operate a landfill in Fanling for the disposal of construction waste and non-construction waste, including municipal waste. The disposal charge for construction waste was $200 per tonne, whereas non-construction waste was disposed of free of charge.Trucks disposing of construction waste were required to use the construction waste entrance and produce chits issued by the EPD to Far East’s weighbridge operators to settle the disposal charge. Far East’s weighbridge operators conducted routine inspection of trucks and monitored their weight via computers to verify whether construction waste was being loaded. EPD staff also conducted surprise inspections on trucks entering the landfill.TSL was a waste disposal company, operating a waste recycling site in Fanling, conveying construction waste to the landfill for its clients.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that between January 2021 and June 2022, Lin, then worker of TSL, followed the instructions from a TSL truck driver to conceal the disposal of construction waste at the landfill by covering it with non-construction waste loaded onto TSL trucks. It was also found that these trucks entered the landfill through the non-construction waste entrance and evaded payments for the disposal of construction waste.At the material time, Chung and Cheung, Far East’s weighbridge operators, assisted TSL trucks to avoid EPD inspection on various occasions and facilitated their entry through the non-construction waste entrance for the free unloading of construction waste at the landfill.ICAC enquiries further revealed that during a period of approximately one month between mid-May and mid-June 2022, TSL declared that it had conveyed non-construction waste on approximately about 760 occasions while about 90 per cent of the trucks were disguised as carrying non-construction waste. In reality, a total of over 4,100 tonnes of construction waste, incurring disposal charges of over $830,000, were loaded onto the trucks.Three other co-defendants, namely Mak Kim-kwan, truck driver of TSL; Mak Wah-sing, tipping face waste inspector of Far East and Chung Ching-kwan, weighbridge operator of Far East, earlier pleaded not guilty to a total of six charges – four of offering an advantage to an agent, one of agent accepting an advantage and one of conspiracy to defraud. The trial of this trio commenced today at the District Court.The EPD and Far East rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was represented today by prosecuting counsel Ken Ng, assisted by ICAC officer Fiona Chan. 30
Mar 2026Electrician charged by ICAC admits defrauding EMSD over registered electrical worker certificate by falsifying work experienceFollowing a corruption investigation which revealed that certain applicants had illegally applied for certificates of registration as electrical workers and misled the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) to issue the relevant certificates by falsifying work experience, the ICAC earlier mounted an operation codenamed “Beacon Tower”, resulting in the prosecution of 20 individuals with multiple counts of conspiracy to defraud. Two of the electricians respectively entered guilty pleas today (March 30) and last week at the Magistrates’ Courts, while the case involving the remaining 18 defendants will be transferred to the District Court for plea.Yip Man-lam, 41, electrical worker, today pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law. Given the seriousness of the offence, Magistrate Miss Lau Suk-han remanded the defendant in custody of the Correctional Services Department, pending his background report and community service order report for sentence on April 13.Any person who performs electrical installation work in Hong Kong is required to register with the EMSD as a Registered Electrical Worker. Certificates of registration are categorised in five grades, of which Grade A is classified as the elementary level (commonly known as Grade A Electrical Work Certificate). Applicants are required to meet various requirements, including possessing at least five years’ work experience in electrical work. Written proof supporting an applicant’s relevant work experience should be submitted with the application form for EMSD’s assessment.The court heard that at the material time, Yip sought to apply for a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate from the EMSD, but he lacked of work experience to meet the requirement. Upon the introduction of a friend, Yip sought assistance from Fung Tak-lap, proprietor of K-ONE Power & Interior Design Co. (K-ONE), and paid the latter $30,000.Later in early January 2023, Fung provided Yip with a false work experience proof issued by an electrical contractor, falsely stating that Yip was employed by that contractor between September 2016 and October 2022. Yip was eventually granted a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate in January 2023.Another electrical worker charged in a separate case, Law Wai-ming, 61, pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts last Wednesday (March 25) to one count of conspiracy to defraud, which involved conspiring with others to deceive the EMSD into granting him a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate. The case was adjourned to June 25 for sentence.Fung, proprietor of K-ONE, 59, and 17 electrical workers aged between 37 to 66, were charged earlier in another case. Fung faces a total of 26 counts of conspiracy to defraud, while each of the remaining defendants faces one count of conspiracy to defraud. The case was adjourned to April 16 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts for mention. The prosecution will apply for transferring the case to the District Court for plea.The charges allege that Fung and the 17 co-defendants had conspired together with others to defraud the EMSD by falsely representing to the EMSD that the electrical workers concerned had been employed by K-ONE or seven other engineering companies for electrical work-related jobs, thereby inducing the EMSD to approve and issue Grade A Electrical Work Certificates to the 17 electrical workers concerned.The ICAC investigation revealed that Fung was the proprietor of K-ONE and two other electrical engineering companies implicated in the cases. He had allegedly assisted the electrical workers in falsifying proof documents supporting their five-year electrical work experience to facilitate their applications to the EMSD for Grade A Electrical Work Certificates.The EMSD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases, and revoked the certificates of the applicants in the cases.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Freddy Cheng.In view of the corruption risks revealed by the cases, the ICAC has completed a corruption prevention review of the EMSD’s procedures for the registration and regulation of electrical contractors and workers. The EMSD is implementing the ICAC’s recommendations to reduce the corruption risks of the associated procedures. The ICAC continues to partner with the EMSD to enhance integrity in the industry, including stepping up preventive education to curb any illegalities and irregularities. 30
Mar 2026ICAC and Police joint operation against corrupt triad infiltration in building maintenance, arrest 42The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has received corruption complaints from the public since mid-2025, alleging that a project consultancy firm had assisted construction contractors to secure building maintenance contracts in various residential estates through bribery.Detailed intelligence analyses and intensive investigations by the ICAC revealed that the project consultancy firm, which had allegedly secured consultancy contracts of various building maintenance projects at unreasonably low fees, had engaged triad members linked to the firm as middlemen to manipulate the tendering process of the projects through corrupt means, aiming to assist contractors in securing a high-priced contract in a residential estate.In view of the findings, the ICAC and the Police mounted a joint operation codenamed “Scabbard” for two consecutive days on March 26 and 27, joining hands to crack down on triad infiltration in building maintenance projects through corrupt means, raiding premises controlled by relevant triads for illicit activities.The ICAC investigation revealed that the project consultancy firm secured the consultancy contract of the grand renovation project of a housing estate under the Tenants Purchase Scheme in the New Territories in mid-2025. The project sum was estimated to be over $160 million and the consultancy firm secured the consultancy contract at a price far below a reasonable level (i.e. 0.5% of the contract sum). It is suspected that the project consultancy firm would subsequently contact potential bidders through triad members, and by means of bribery, manipulate the tendering process. While the relevant tendering exercise is still at preparatory stage, the ICAC’s early intervention is believed to have prevented the corrupt dealings from taking place and intercepted triad infiltration in the grand renovation project of the housing estate. (Diagram 1)In addition, the project consultancy firm secured the consultancy contract for the grand renovation project of a residential building on Hong Kong Island in 2022. The project was subsequently awarded at $20 million to a project contractor, which had various dubious expenditures totalling several million dollars. Investigation by the ICAC also found that a registered inspector of the project consultancy firm was suspected of failing to fulfil his inspection duties and signed on Building Inspection Reports without conducting any inspection. As the project has already commenced, the ICAC has referred the incident to the Buildings Department for further inspection due to safety concerns. (Diagram 2)The project consultancy firm, together with a director of the property management company of a residential building in Kowloon, is also suspected of accepting bribes from a project contractor for lobbying its flat owners to award the contract of a fire safety improvement project to the contractor at approximately twice the market price, i.e. $1.4 million, in early 2026. The contract is yet to be awarded and the enforcement action of the ICAC is believed to have thwarted the illicit dealings. (Diagram 3)In the operation, the ICAC arrested 10 men aged between 28 and 61, including the proprietor and a registered inspector of a project consultancy firm concerned, several middlemen with triad background, the proprietors of two project contractors and a property management company director.ICAC officers also executed search warrants to conduct searches at 22 locations, including offices of the project consultancy firm and project contractors, as well as residences of the arrestees. Voluminous exhibits were also seized, including documents relating to the building maintenance projects, as well as banking and accounting records. Reviewing those documents, initial findings by the ICAC suggested that the companies involved in the present case might have fabricated accounting records to cover up dubious incomes and expenses.Following the ICAC’s enforcement actions, the Police swiftly launched raids at multiple locations in the New Territories believed to be controlled by the abovementioned individuals with triad background, shutting down two unlawful Mahjong dens and an illegal baccarat gambling den. A total of 32 individuals, comprising 14 men and 18 women, aged between 30 and 75, were arrested by the Police for offences including “operating gambling establishments” and “gambling in any place not being a gambling establishment”.Following the Operation “Scabbard”, the ICAC had proactively contacted relevant stakeholders of the housing estate and buildings concerned, reminding them to stay vigilant to corruption risks when handling the projects.An ICAC spokesperson said, “The ICAC has been paying close attention to corruption in building management and maintenance. The Commission will continue to work closely with the Police as well as other government departments and regulatory bodies to combat potential and suspected corruption and other illicit activities in building maintenance projects by intervention at an early stage in cases deemed appropriate. Works contracts of two projects worth totalling over $160 million revealed in Operation ‘Scabbard’ are yet to be awarded. The relevant corruption investigation is ongoing, and the ICAC does not rule out further enforcement actions.”“The Police is highly concerned about suspected illegal interference in building maintenance and management projects by criminals. Any illegal activities will be pursued resolutely. The Police reiterates that combating triad activities is one of the Force’s top operational priorities. The Police does not tolerate any unlawful, violent, or triad-related activities in society, and will continue to co-operate with the ICAC and other law enforcement agencies to combat related crimes and cut the source of income of criminals,” a Police spokesperson noted.The ICAC urges members of the public and practitioners of the building management and maintenance industry to report suspected corruption to the ICAC immediately through its 24-hour hotline (25 266 366). The Police also calls on citizens, particularly property owners, to proactively participate in building management affairs and report any illegalities to law enforcement agencies. 25
Mar 2026Tenant charged by ICAC for bribing estate agent to avoid paying default tenancy compensation gets four and a half months’ jailA tenant of a residential flat, charged by the ICAC, was today (March 25) sentenced to four and a half months’ imprisonment at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts for offering a bribe of $1,000 to an estate agent and requesting the latter to conceal from an estate agency that he had defaulted a tenancy agreement to avoid giving up his deposit of $16,000 as compensation.Du Du, 48, was earlier found guilty after trial of one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu noted that bribery is a serious offence, and given that the defendant showed no genuine remorse, he was eventually jailed for four and a half months.The court heard that on the morning of November 6, 2022, the defendant viewed a residential flat in Tai Wai for rent through the arrangement of an estate agent of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty). The defendant rented the flat at $16,000 per month by signing a provisional tenancy agreement with the flat owner on the spot.The defendant subsequently viewed another flat in the same estate through a different channel. On the same afternoon, he contacted the estate agent expressing his wish to cancel the provisional tenancy agreement.According to the terms of the agreement, the party cancelling the agreement had to pay a compensation equivalent to the deposit, i.e., $16,000. The defendant then offered a bribe of $1,000 to the estate agent and requested the latter to assist in concealing from Midland Realty that he had signed the provisional tenancy agreement with the flat owner but defaulted the agreement.The estate agent did not accept the bribe and reported the matter to Midland Realty, which rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Emily Cheung.
Apr 2026Estate agent charged by ICAC for bribe solicitation over subordinate’s role in $100m property transactionAn estate agent was charged by the ICAC yesterday (April 8) for allegedly soliciting a bribe of over $63,000 from a subordinate for making a false representation regarding the latter’s role in procuring the sale and purchase transaction of a property valued at over $100 million.Shao Li-ya, 47, branch manager of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty), faces one count of soliciting an advantage as an agent, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.The defendant was released on bail, pending her appearance at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (April 10) for plea.At the material time, the defendant was the branch manager at a Midland Realty branch in Tsim Sha Tsui. According to Midland Realty’s policy, a branch manager was eligible to receive an overriding commission based on the team’s turnover, whereas only a self-earned commission, without any overriding commission, would be granted for a transaction secured solely by a branch manager.The first charge alleges that in July 2023, the defendant solicited a bribe of over $63,000 from a subordinate estate agent for representing to Midland Realty that the subordinate was one of the handling agents in the sale and purchase transaction of a house in Sha Tin.The ICAC investigation stemmed from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that by falsely claiming that she and her subordinate had participated in procuring the property transaction valued at over $100 million, the defendant received an overriding commission and a sales commission totalling over $1.3 million while her subordinate received a sales commission of over $130,000.The defendant further faces a fraud charge relating to the attendance of her daughter, who was a sales trainee under her supervision. It is alleged that between August and November 2023, the defendant and her daughter made false representations to Midland Realty regarding the daughter’s attendance records, and with intent to defraud, induced Midland Realty to release salary payments totalling over $5,100 to the daughter.While the defendant falsely represented to Midland Realty that her daughter was on duty for over 50 days between August and early October 2023, ICAC enquiries revealed that the daughter was out of Hong Kong for 19 days during that period.Midland Realty rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 08
Apr 2026Ex-EPD landfill contractor staff among three admit roles in construction waste disposal bribery and fraud caseAn ICAC investigation revealed that staff of a contractor for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) allegedly accepted advantages from employees of a waste disposal company to assist in unloading construction waste at a landfill free of charge by disguising construction waste loaded on trucks as non-construction waste to defraud the EPD of disposal charges totalling over $830,000. Three defendants entered guilty pleas at the District Court today (April 8).The three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. They are two employees of an EPD contractor, namely Chung Pui-chun, 60; and Cheung Kam-ning, 40, both weighbridge operators of Far East Landfill Technologies Limited (Far East) at the material time; and Lin Wenjian, 33, a former worker of T.S. Industrial Materials Recycle Limited (TSL).Deputy District Judge Ms Leung Ka-kie adjourned the case to April 30 for mitigation and granted bail to the trio. Meanwhile, two charges of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, against Chung and Cheung were left on court file.At the material time, Far East was engaged by the EPD to operate a landfill in Fanling for the disposal of construction waste and non-construction waste, including municipal waste. The disposal charge for construction waste was $200 per tonne, whereas non-construction waste was disposed of free of charge.Trucks disposing of construction waste were required to use the construction waste entrance and produce chits issued by the EPD to Far East’s weighbridge operators to settle the disposal charge. Far East’s weighbridge operators conducted routine inspection of trucks and monitored their weight via computers to verify whether construction waste was being loaded. EPD staff also conducted surprise inspections on trucks entering the landfill.TSL was a waste disposal company, operating a waste recycling site in Fanling, conveying construction waste to the landfill for its clients.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that between January 2021 and June 2022, Lin, then worker of TSL, followed the instructions from a TSL truck driver to conceal the disposal of construction waste at the landfill by covering it with non-construction waste loaded onto TSL trucks. It was also found that these trucks entered the landfill through the non-construction waste entrance and evaded payments for the disposal of construction waste.At the material time, Chung and Cheung, Far East’s weighbridge operators, assisted TSL trucks to avoid EPD inspection on various occasions and facilitated their entry through the non-construction waste entrance for the free unloading of construction waste at the landfill.ICAC enquiries further revealed that during a period of approximately one month between mid-May and mid-June 2022, TSL declared that it had conveyed non-construction waste on approximately about 760 occasions while about 90 per cent of the trucks were disguised as carrying non-construction waste. In reality, a total of over 4,100 tonnes of construction waste, incurring disposal charges of over $830,000, were loaded onto the trucks.Three other co-defendants, namely Mak Kim-kwan, truck driver of TSL; Mak Wah-sing, tipping face waste inspector of Far East and Chung Ching-kwan, weighbridge operator of Far East, earlier pleaded not guilty to a total of six charges – four of offering an advantage to an agent, one of agent accepting an advantage and one of conspiracy to defraud. The trial of this trio commenced today at the District Court.The EPD and Far East rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was represented today by prosecuting counsel Ken Ng, assisted by ICAC officer Fiona Chan. 30
Mar 2026Electrician charged by ICAC admits defrauding EMSD over registered electrical worker certificate by falsifying work experienceFollowing a corruption investigation which revealed that certain applicants had illegally applied for certificates of registration as electrical workers and misled the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) to issue the relevant certificates by falsifying work experience, the ICAC earlier mounted an operation codenamed “Beacon Tower”, resulting in the prosecution of 20 individuals with multiple counts of conspiracy to defraud. Two of the electricians respectively entered guilty pleas today (March 30) and last week at the Magistrates’ Courts, while the case involving the remaining 18 defendants will be transferred to the District Court for plea.Yip Man-lam, 41, electrical worker, today pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law. Given the seriousness of the offence, Magistrate Miss Lau Suk-han remanded the defendant in custody of the Correctional Services Department, pending his background report and community service order report for sentence on April 13.Any person who performs electrical installation work in Hong Kong is required to register with the EMSD as a Registered Electrical Worker. Certificates of registration are categorised in five grades, of which Grade A is classified as the elementary level (commonly known as Grade A Electrical Work Certificate). Applicants are required to meet various requirements, including possessing at least five years’ work experience in electrical work. Written proof supporting an applicant’s relevant work experience should be submitted with the application form for EMSD’s assessment.The court heard that at the material time, Yip sought to apply for a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate from the EMSD, but he lacked of work experience to meet the requirement. Upon the introduction of a friend, Yip sought assistance from Fung Tak-lap, proprietor of K-ONE Power & Interior Design Co. (K-ONE), and paid the latter $30,000.Later in early January 2023, Fung provided Yip with a false work experience proof issued by an electrical contractor, falsely stating that Yip was employed by that contractor between September 2016 and October 2022. Yip was eventually granted a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate in January 2023.Another electrical worker charged in a separate case, Law Wai-ming, 61, pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts last Wednesday (March 25) to one count of conspiracy to defraud, which involved conspiring with others to deceive the EMSD into granting him a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate. The case was adjourned to June 25 for sentence.Fung, proprietor of K-ONE, 59, and 17 electrical workers aged between 37 to 66, were charged earlier in another case. Fung faces a total of 26 counts of conspiracy to defraud, while each of the remaining defendants faces one count of conspiracy to defraud. The case was adjourned to April 16 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts for mention. The prosecution will apply for transferring the case to the District Court for plea.The charges allege that Fung and the 17 co-defendants had conspired together with others to defraud the EMSD by falsely representing to the EMSD that the electrical workers concerned had been employed by K-ONE or seven other engineering companies for electrical work-related jobs, thereby inducing the EMSD to approve and issue Grade A Electrical Work Certificates to the 17 electrical workers concerned.The ICAC investigation revealed that Fung was the proprietor of K-ONE and two other electrical engineering companies implicated in the cases. He had allegedly assisted the electrical workers in falsifying proof documents supporting their five-year electrical work experience to facilitate their applications to the EMSD for Grade A Electrical Work Certificates.The EMSD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases, and revoked the certificates of the applicants in the cases.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Freddy Cheng.In view of the corruption risks revealed by the cases, the ICAC has completed a corruption prevention review of the EMSD’s procedures for the registration and regulation of electrical contractors and workers. The EMSD is implementing the ICAC’s recommendations to reduce the corruption risks of the associated procedures. The ICAC continues to partner with the EMSD to enhance integrity in the industry, including stepping up preventive education to curb any illegalities and irregularities. 30
Mar 2026ICAC and Police joint operation against corrupt triad infiltration in building maintenance, arrest 42The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has received corruption complaints from the public since mid-2025, alleging that a project consultancy firm had assisted construction contractors to secure building maintenance contracts in various residential estates through bribery.Detailed intelligence analyses and intensive investigations by the ICAC revealed that the project consultancy firm, which had allegedly secured consultancy contracts of various building maintenance projects at unreasonably low fees, had engaged triad members linked to the firm as middlemen to manipulate the tendering process of the projects through corrupt means, aiming to assist contractors in securing a high-priced contract in a residential estate.In view of the findings, the ICAC and the Police mounted a joint operation codenamed “Scabbard” for two consecutive days on March 26 and 27, joining hands to crack down on triad infiltration in building maintenance projects through corrupt means, raiding premises controlled by relevant triads for illicit activities.The ICAC investigation revealed that the project consultancy firm secured the consultancy contract of the grand renovation project of a housing estate under the Tenants Purchase Scheme in the New Territories in mid-2025. The project sum was estimated to be over $160 million and the consultancy firm secured the consultancy contract at a price far below a reasonable level (i.e. 0.5% of the contract sum). It is suspected that the project consultancy firm would subsequently contact potential bidders through triad members, and by means of bribery, manipulate the tendering process. While the relevant tendering exercise is still at preparatory stage, the ICAC’s early intervention is believed to have prevented the corrupt dealings from taking place and intercepted triad infiltration in the grand renovation project of the housing estate. (Diagram 1)In addition, the project consultancy firm secured the consultancy contract for the grand renovation project of a residential building on Hong Kong Island in 2022. The project was subsequently awarded at $20 million to a project contractor, which had various dubious expenditures totalling several million dollars. Investigation by the ICAC also found that a registered inspector of the project consultancy firm was suspected of failing to fulfil his inspection duties and signed on Building Inspection Reports without conducting any inspection. As the project has already commenced, the ICAC has referred the incident to the Buildings Department for further inspection due to safety concerns. (Diagram 2)The project consultancy firm, together with a director of the property management company of a residential building in Kowloon, is also suspected of accepting bribes from a project contractor for lobbying its flat owners to award the contract of a fire safety improvement project to the contractor at approximately twice the market price, i.e. $1.4 million, in early 2026. The contract is yet to be awarded and the enforcement action of the ICAC is believed to have thwarted the illicit dealings. (Diagram 3)In the operation, the ICAC arrested 10 men aged between 28 and 61, including the proprietor and a registered inspector of a project consultancy firm concerned, several middlemen with triad background, the proprietors of two project contractors and a property management company director.ICAC officers also executed search warrants to conduct searches at 22 locations, including offices of the project consultancy firm and project contractors, as well as residences of the arrestees. Voluminous exhibits were also seized, including documents relating to the building maintenance projects, as well as banking and accounting records. Reviewing those documents, initial findings by the ICAC suggested that the companies involved in the present case might have fabricated accounting records to cover up dubious incomes and expenses.Following the ICAC’s enforcement actions, the Police swiftly launched raids at multiple locations in the New Territories believed to be controlled by the abovementioned individuals with triad background, shutting down two unlawful Mahjong dens and an illegal baccarat gambling den. A total of 32 individuals, comprising 14 men and 18 women, aged between 30 and 75, were arrested by the Police for offences including “operating gambling establishments” and “gambling in any place not being a gambling establishment”.Following the Operation “Scabbard”, the ICAC had proactively contacted relevant stakeholders of the housing estate and buildings concerned, reminding them to stay vigilant to corruption risks when handling the projects.An ICAC spokesperson said, “The ICAC has been paying close attention to corruption in building management and maintenance. The Commission will continue to work closely with the Police as well as other government departments and regulatory bodies to combat potential and suspected corruption and other illicit activities in building maintenance projects by intervention at an early stage in cases deemed appropriate. Works contracts of two projects worth totalling over $160 million revealed in Operation ‘Scabbard’ are yet to be awarded. The relevant corruption investigation is ongoing, and the ICAC does not rule out further enforcement actions.”“The Police is highly concerned about suspected illegal interference in building maintenance and management projects by criminals. Any illegal activities will be pursued resolutely. The Police reiterates that combating triad activities is one of the Force’s top operational priorities. The Police does not tolerate any unlawful, violent, or triad-related activities in society, and will continue to co-operate with the ICAC and other law enforcement agencies to combat related crimes and cut the source of income of criminals,” a Police spokesperson noted.The ICAC urges members of the public and practitioners of the building management and maintenance industry to report suspected corruption to the ICAC immediately through its 24-hour hotline (25 266 366). The Police also calls on citizens, particularly property owners, to proactively participate in building management affairs and report any illegalities to law enforcement agencies. 25
Mar 2026Tenant charged by ICAC for bribing estate agent to avoid paying default tenancy compensation gets four and a half months’ jailA tenant of a residential flat, charged by the ICAC, was today (March 25) sentenced to four and a half months’ imprisonment at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts for offering a bribe of $1,000 to an estate agent and requesting the latter to conceal from an estate agency that he had defaulted a tenancy agreement to avoid giving up his deposit of $16,000 as compensation.Du Du, 48, was earlier found guilty after trial of one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu noted that bribery is a serious offence, and given that the defendant showed no genuine remorse, he was eventually jailed for four and a half months.The court heard that on the morning of November 6, 2022, the defendant viewed a residential flat in Tai Wai for rent through the arrangement of an estate agent of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty). The defendant rented the flat at $16,000 per month by signing a provisional tenancy agreement with the flat owner on the spot.The defendant subsequently viewed another flat in the same estate through a different channel. On the same afternoon, he contacted the estate agent expressing his wish to cancel the provisional tenancy agreement.According to the terms of the agreement, the party cancelling the agreement had to pay a compensation equivalent to the deposit, i.e., $16,000. The defendant then offered a bribe of $1,000 to the estate agent and requested the latter to assist in concealing from Midland Realty that he had signed the provisional tenancy agreement with the flat owner but defaulted the agreement.The estate agent did not accept the bribe and reported the matter to Midland Realty, which rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Emily Cheung.