Integrity Focus

A former manager of an interior design and renovation company, charged by the ICAC, today (August 2) at the District Court admitted fraud and theft involving a total of over $3.5 million which were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation by the Commission.

Amy Mak Man-yee, 45, former administration and account manager of Hei Design Limited (Hei Design), pleaded guilty to a total of 18 charges – eight of fraud and 10 of theft, respectively contrary to section 16A and section 9 of the Theft Ordinance. Another similar charge of fraud against her was left on file at the District Court.

Judge Ms Kathie Cheung Kit-yee adjourned the case to August 8 for sentence. The defendant was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.

Hei Design was an interior design and renovation company. At the material time, the defendant was responsible for the company’s daily accounting work, including preparing cheques for her employer to sign so as to arrange payments to its suppliers and contractors.

The court heard that between April 2017 and April 2019, the defendant had falsely represented to her employer on eight occasions that 20 cheques prepared by her were payable to a furniture supplier and two decoration contractors of Hei Design.

As a result, the defendant’s employer signed on the 20 cheques involving sums totalling about $1.8 million. ICAC investigation revealed that the cheques were subsequently deposited into the defendant’s own bank accounts or used to pay decoration and furniture purchase fees for her two companies.

In addition, during the above period, the defendant had also stolen 10 sums of money totalling over $1.7 million from Hei Design by depositing 10 other cheques into her bank account. ICAC enquiries revealed that the defendant’s employer was the sole signatory of all bank accounts of the company, but the 10 cheques were not signed by him.

Hei Design had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Wong Hay-yiu, assisted by ICAC officer Andy Yip.