Integrity Focus

A then manager of a printing company, charged by the ICAC, today (November 4) admitted at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts that he had arranged his mother to serve as a temporary staff member and made false representations about her working hours to swindle wages totalling over $420,000 in 18 months.

Fong Lung, 39, then service delivery management manager of FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong Limited (FUJIFILM), today pleaded guilty to 18 counts of fraud, contrary to section 16(A) of the Theft Ordinance. The aforesaid 18 charges against his mother Cheung Lai-lin, 67, were withdrawn.

Acting Chief Magistrate Mr Don So Man-lung adjourned the case to November 25 for sentence, pending Fong’s background report, and remanded Fong in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.

The court heard that at the material time, Fong was a service delivery management manager of FUJIFILM and was authorised to engage temporary staff to tackle a manpower shortage, through a human resources agency engaged by FUJIFILM.

In August 2021, Fong arranged Cheung to be employed by the human resources agency at an hourly rate of $75 so as to deploy Cheung to work in FUJIFILM. According to Cheung’s working hours, the human resources agency would charge FUJILFILM fees, including wages of its staff.

The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that in 18 consecutive months between August 2021 and February 2023, Fong falsely represented Cheung’s working hours when he submitted Cheung’s working timesheets to the human resources agency each month. Meanwhile, when the agency issued relevant consolidated timesheets and invoices to FUJIFILM for fees, Fong confirmed the accuracy of the content for on 17 occasions during the aforesaid period.

The ICAC investigation revealed that within the period, Fong falsely represented that Cheung had worked in FUJIFILM for 5,700 hours, and hence deceived the two companies into releasing relevant wage payments totalling over $420,000 to Cheung. However, Cheung had never performed any duties in FUJIFILM at the material time.

FUJIFILM and the aforesaid human resources agency rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Chase Wong.