Integrity Focus

The ICAC today (September 2) charged a woman for allegedly offering a bribe of RMB 2,000 to a bank employee for assistance in reactivating her company’s bank account.

LI Rong, 38, director and shareholder of Zhong Sheng Technology (Hongkong) Co. Limited (Zhong Sheng Technology), faces one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. She was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday (September 4) for plea.

The investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Inquiries revealed that in 2013, the defendant opened a Business Integrated Account for Zhong Sheng Technology which she owned at the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC). As there were no transactions in the account for 10 consecutive months since 2015, the account was turned “dormant” in HSBC’s system.

In July 2019, the defendant, through phone enquiry, learnt that the bank account was in “dormant” status. She then visited the HSBC Business Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui to reactivate the account. Since the defendant could not provide the required company documents, the procedures could not be completed on the same day. The defendant left the bank after exchanging contact information with the bank staff, and later left Hong Kong.

It is alleged that on August 5, 2019, the defendant, through a communication application, offered RMB 2,000 to the aforesaid bank staff for assisting in the procedures to reactivate the account of Zhong Sheng Technology. The bank staff did not accept the offer and immediately reported the matter to her supervisor.

The defendant was arrested in August 2024 when she came to Hong Kong again, and was charged by the ICAC this morning.

HSBC rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The ICAC reminds members of the public not to bribe bank staff for services. Should bank employees come across any suspicion of corruption, they should report the matter to the ICAC immediately. The ICAC collaborates closely with the banking industry and would take swift enforcement to uphold the public and stakeholders’ trust in Hong Kong’s banking system. The Community Relations Department has also produced a new educational video on bank account opening, which will be broadcast on different media platforms to remind members of the public not to breach the law.