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Sep 2024Two former formwork team leaders of public housing project subcontractor charged by ICAC with bribery over workers’ employmentThe ICAC today (September 12) charged two former formwork team leaders of a public housing estate construction project subcontractor with allegedly accepting and soliciting bribes totalling about $44,000 from two workers as a condition for them to be employed by the subcontractor.Tse Lam Hung-kay, 33; and Liu Wei, 47, both were former team leaders of formwork workers of Bik Hoi Civil Engineering Company Limited (Bik Hoi). Tse faces seven counts of agent accepting an advantage while Liu faces one count of agent soliciting an advantage and one of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.The duo were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on next Monday (September 16) for plea.At the material time, Bik Hoi was the formwork subcontractor of a public housing estate construction project under Housing Department in Kwun Tong. The two defendants were team leaders of formwork workers responsible for supervising other formwork workers.It is alleged that between December 2021 and June 2022, Tse Lam Hung-kay accepted bribes totalling about $39,000 from two workers on seven occasions as a condition for them to be employed by Bik Hoi. In addition, Liu Wei is alleged to have solicited rebates from the two aforementioned workers in July 2022 for the same purpose, and accepted about $4,800 from one of the two workers.The ICAC investigation, arose from relevant corruption complaints, revealed that the daily wage of the two workers was $1,450. The two defendants were alleged to have accepted a daily rebate of $200 from them.Bik Hoi prohibited its employees from soliciting or accepting advantages for offering assistance in others’ employment.Bik Hoi had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The ICAC stresses that soliciting or accepting bribes for assisting others in employment is a serious bribery offence. The maximum penalty on conviction of the offence is a seven-year imprisonment and a fine of $500,000. The ICAC also urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to pay bribes in exchange for their employment, they should reject and report to the ICAC immediately through the 24-hour hotline (25 266 366). 12
Sep 2024Ex-clerk of stationery company charged by ICAC guilty of $7.2m fraud over resale of raw materials with false quotations for personal gainA former staff of a stationery company, charged by the ICAC, was today (September 12) convicted at the District Court for fraud by falsifying quotations, secretly purchasing plastic pellets at lower prices and reselling them to the stationery company at $7.2 million, pocketing inflated amounts totalling about $1.7 million. The offence was revealed in the course of a corruption investigation.Au Yeung Yin-tung, 40, former shipping clerk of Creative Wealth International Limited (Creative Wealth), was found guilty of one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance. Deputy Judge Ms Veronica Heung Shuk-han remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department. The case was adjourned to September 19 for mitigation and sentence.At the material time, the defendant was a shipping clerk of Creative Wealth, a stationery manufacturer and supplier. She was assigned to procure raw materials, including plastics pellets, for a factory of Creative Wealth. For each purchase, the defendant was required to obtain quotations from various suppliers and make recommendation on the supplier to be selected.The court heard that on various occasions between December 2015 and May 2018, the defendant falsely represented to Creative Wealth that the prices of plastic pellets offered by Golden Dragon Consultants Limited (Golden Dragon) were the lowest amongst suppliers. During the period, upon her recommendation, Creative Wealth placed a total of 34 purchase orders with Golden Dragon for plastics pellets at over $7.2 million.ICAC investigation revealed that some of the suppliers had never provided any quotation to the defendant. In fact, the defendant had purchased the plastic pellets concerned from other suppliers at lower prices, inflated the prices by about $1.7 million in total and sold them to Creative Wealth through Golden Dragon. ICAC investigation revealed that Golden Dragon was in fact owned by the defendant’s husband. Some of the payments were eventually transferred from the bank account of Golden Dragon to the defendant’s bank accounts. However, the defendant had never declared to Creative Wealth her relationship with Golden Dragon.Creative Wealth had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by Public Prosecutor Katie Fong, assisted by ICAC officer May Lam. 10
Sep 2024Ex-security supervisor of private residential estate charged by ICAC for accepting bribes from subordinates for arranging favourable shiftsThe ICAC yesterday (September 9) charged a former security supervisor of a private residential estate with allegedly accepting bribes totalling over $10,000 from four subordinate security guards for assigning them to work on special shifts with extra allowances.Tang Kwong-cheung, 59, former night-shift security supervisor of Bedford Gardens, a private residential estate in North Point, faces five counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (September 11) for plea.Between August 2021 and February 2023, the defendant was a night-shift security supervisor of Bedford Gardens responsible for supervising all night-shift security guards, assigning their duties and preparing duty rosters. The defendant and all security guards working in the estate were employed by the Incorporated Owners (IO) of Bedford Gardens.Due to a shortage of manpower, some night-shift security guards were assigned to work on special shifts. A security guard working on special shifts would also be required to perform security duties at more than one block of the estate. Since January 2022, each of the security guards assigned to special shifts would receive an allowance of $150 per shift from the IO.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that between January 2022 and January 2023, the defendant allegedly accepted bribes of $300 per month from each of his four subordinates, totalling over $10,000, for assigning them to work on special shifts. It was also revealed that after some of the subordinate security guards refused to pay the defendant, they were stopped from being assigned to any special shift, and were even picked on by the defendant intentionally at work.IO of Bedford Gardens prohibited its employees from soliciting, accepting or offering any advantages in relation to the estate’s affairs or business.IO of Bedford Gardens rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 09
Sep 2024Ex-manager of FEHD contractor charged by ICAC admits extorting $38,000 in wages from cleaning workers by deceitA former manager of a cleaning service contractor of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), charged by the ICAC, today (September 9) admitted at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts that he had deceived three subordinate cleaning workers into returning a wage difference totalling over $38,000 in a span of nearly two years, by falsely representing to them that the employer had miscalculated their wages.Choy Wai-hong, 50, former contract manager of Sparkle Environmental Services Limited (Sparkle), pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.Magistrate Miss Lau Suk-han ordered the defendant to make a compensation of over $38,000, equivalent to the total amount of which the defendant had defrauded in this case, to the three cleaning workers concerned. The case was adjourned to September 20 for sentence, pending the defendant’s background and community service order reports. The defendant was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a contract manager of Sparkle, a cleaning service contractor of the FEHD. He was responsible for supervising the company’s foremen and cleaning workers posted to Sai Kung District, and handling relevant matters of recruitment and employment contracts.The offences took place between August 2020 and July 2022. The defendant, without Sparkle’s authorisation, made false representations to three cleaning workers concerned that they were employed and paid as casual workers. Subsequently, the defendant falsely represented to the three workers that Sparkle had miscalculated their wages, and deceived the trio into returning part of their wages, totalling over $38,000, to him.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint in relation to workers’ wages. Enquiries revealed that the trio were in fact Sparkle’s full-time employees who were entitled to higher pay rates, but the defendant made false representations to them that they were employed as casual cleaning workers at a daily wage of either $420 or $450 only. Meanwhile, the defendant had never returned to Sparkle the wages which he defrauded out of the trio.The FEHD and Sparkle rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Chin Sing-yue. 09
Sep 2024Carpenter team leader of Three-Runway System Project charged by ICAC with bribery for assisting imported workers to continue employmentThe ICAC today (September 9) charged a team leader of carpenters of the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) of the Hong Kong International Airport with allegedly accepting bribes totalling about $54,000 from 10 imported workers for assisting them over their continuous employment.Chen Xianliang, 62, team leader of carpenters and also an imported worker employed by Gammon Construction Limited (Gammon), faces 10 counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday (September 11) for plea.In 2020, Gammon was awarded by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) the contract of the automated people mover and baggage handling system project of the 3RS Project. The defendant was an imported worker employed by Gammon, the main contractor of the aforesaid project, through the Labour Importation Scheme for Construction Sector. He was responsible for leading a team of imported workers to perform carpentry works at the construction site, under the supervision of a subcontractor of Gammon.It is alleged that on various occasions in January 2024, the defendant accepted a bribe of $4,800 to $5,400 from each of the 10 carpenters under his supervision, totalling about $54,000, for assisting the 10 workers to be continually employed by Gammon.The ICAC investigation arose from corruption complaints in relation to alleged wage exploitation involving imported workers. Investigation revealed that the 10 workers concerned were referred by the defendant to work in Hong Kong. In late December 2023, they arrived in Hong Kong from the Mainland to work for the aforesaid project at a monthly salary of over $37,000. Upon their arrival in Hong Kong, the defendant allegedly solicited the aforesaid bribes from the 10 workers.Gammon prohibited its employees from soliciting or accepting any advantages from others for matters in relation to the affairs or business of the company.The Development Bureau and Gammon have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The ICAC urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to pay bribes in exchange for their employment, they should reject and report to the ICAC immediately. To enhance imported workers' understanding of Hong Kong's anti-corruption laws, the ICAC has arranged corruption prevention talks for imported workers within eight weeks of their arrival. Additionally, the ICAC will also make use of other channels to sustain the anti-graft education to imported workers.
Sep 2024Two former formwork team leaders of public housing project subcontractor charged by ICAC with bribery over workers’ employmentThe ICAC today (September 12) charged two former formwork team leaders of a public housing estate construction project subcontractor with allegedly accepting and soliciting bribes totalling about $44,000 from two workers as a condition for them to be employed by the subcontractor.Tse Lam Hung-kay, 33; and Liu Wei, 47, both were former team leaders of formwork workers of Bik Hoi Civil Engineering Company Limited (Bik Hoi). Tse faces seven counts of agent accepting an advantage while Liu faces one count of agent soliciting an advantage and one of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.The duo were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on next Monday (September 16) for plea.At the material time, Bik Hoi was the formwork subcontractor of a public housing estate construction project under Housing Department in Kwun Tong. The two defendants were team leaders of formwork workers responsible for supervising other formwork workers.It is alleged that between December 2021 and June 2022, Tse Lam Hung-kay accepted bribes totalling about $39,000 from two workers on seven occasions as a condition for them to be employed by Bik Hoi. In addition, Liu Wei is alleged to have solicited rebates from the two aforementioned workers in July 2022 for the same purpose, and accepted about $4,800 from one of the two workers.The ICAC investigation, arose from relevant corruption complaints, revealed that the daily wage of the two workers was $1,450. The two defendants were alleged to have accepted a daily rebate of $200 from them.Bik Hoi prohibited its employees from soliciting or accepting advantages for offering assistance in others’ employment.Bik Hoi had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The ICAC stresses that soliciting or accepting bribes for assisting others in employment is a serious bribery offence. The maximum penalty on conviction of the offence is a seven-year imprisonment and a fine of $500,000. The ICAC also urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to pay bribes in exchange for their employment, they should reject and report to the ICAC immediately through the 24-hour hotline (25 266 366). 12
Sep 2024Ex-clerk of stationery company charged by ICAC guilty of $7.2m fraud over resale of raw materials with false quotations for personal gainA former staff of a stationery company, charged by the ICAC, was today (September 12) convicted at the District Court for fraud by falsifying quotations, secretly purchasing plastic pellets at lower prices and reselling them to the stationery company at $7.2 million, pocketing inflated amounts totalling about $1.7 million. The offence was revealed in the course of a corruption investigation.Au Yeung Yin-tung, 40, former shipping clerk of Creative Wealth International Limited (Creative Wealth), was found guilty of one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance. Deputy Judge Ms Veronica Heung Shuk-han remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department. The case was adjourned to September 19 for mitigation and sentence.At the material time, the defendant was a shipping clerk of Creative Wealth, a stationery manufacturer and supplier. She was assigned to procure raw materials, including plastics pellets, for a factory of Creative Wealth. For each purchase, the defendant was required to obtain quotations from various suppliers and make recommendation on the supplier to be selected.The court heard that on various occasions between December 2015 and May 2018, the defendant falsely represented to Creative Wealth that the prices of plastic pellets offered by Golden Dragon Consultants Limited (Golden Dragon) were the lowest amongst suppliers. During the period, upon her recommendation, Creative Wealth placed a total of 34 purchase orders with Golden Dragon for plastics pellets at over $7.2 million.ICAC investigation revealed that some of the suppliers had never provided any quotation to the defendant. In fact, the defendant had purchased the plastic pellets concerned from other suppliers at lower prices, inflated the prices by about $1.7 million in total and sold them to Creative Wealth through Golden Dragon. ICAC investigation revealed that Golden Dragon was in fact owned by the defendant’s husband. Some of the payments were eventually transferred from the bank account of Golden Dragon to the defendant’s bank accounts. However, the defendant had never declared to Creative Wealth her relationship with Golden Dragon.Creative Wealth had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by Public Prosecutor Katie Fong, assisted by ICAC officer May Lam. 10
Sep 2024Ex-security supervisor of private residential estate charged by ICAC for accepting bribes from subordinates for arranging favourable shiftsThe ICAC yesterday (September 9) charged a former security supervisor of a private residential estate with allegedly accepting bribes totalling over $10,000 from four subordinate security guards for assigning them to work on special shifts with extra allowances.Tang Kwong-cheung, 59, former night-shift security supervisor of Bedford Gardens, a private residential estate in North Point, faces five counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (September 11) for plea.Between August 2021 and February 2023, the defendant was a night-shift security supervisor of Bedford Gardens responsible for supervising all night-shift security guards, assigning their duties and preparing duty rosters. The defendant and all security guards working in the estate were employed by the Incorporated Owners (IO) of Bedford Gardens.Due to a shortage of manpower, some night-shift security guards were assigned to work on special shifts. A security guard working on special shifts would also be required to perform security duties at more than one block of the estate. Since January 2022, each of the security guards assigned to special shifts would receive an allowance of $150 per shift from the IO.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that between January 2022 and January 2023, the defendant allegedly accepted bribes of $300 per month from each of his four subordinates, totalling over $10,000, for assigning them to work on special shifts. It was also revealed that after some of the subordinate security guards refused to pay the defendant, they were stopped from being assigned to any special shift, and were even picked on by the defendant intentionally at work.IO of Bedford Gardens prohibited its employees from soliciting, accepting or offering any advantages in relation to the estate’s affairs or business.IO of Bedford Gardens rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 09
Sep 2024Ex-manager of FEHD contractor charged by ICAC admits extorting $38,000 in wages from cleaning workers by deceitA former manager of a cleaning service contractor of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), charged by the ICAC, today (September 9) admitted at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts that he had deceived three subordinate cleaning workers into returning a wage difference totalling over $38,000 in a span of nearly two years, by falsely representing to them that the employer had miscalculated their wages.Choy Wai-hong, 50, former contract manager of Sparkle Environmental Services Limited (Sparkle), pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.Magistrate Miss Lau Suk-han ordered the defendant to make a compensation of over $38,000, equivalent to the total amount of which the defendant had defrauded in this case, to the three cleaning workers concerned. The case was adjourned to September 20 for sentence, pending the defendant’s background and community service order reports. The defendant was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a contract manager of Sparkle, a cleaning service contractor of the FEHD. He was responsible for supervising the company’s foremen and cleaning workers posted to Sai Kung District, and handling relevant matters of recruitment and employment contracts.The offences took place between August 2020 and July 2022. The defendant, without Sparkle’s authorisation, made false representations to three cleaning workers concerned that they were employed and paid as casual workers. Subsequently, the defendant falsely represented to the three workers that Sparkle had miscalculated their wages, and deceived the trio into returning part of their wages, totalling over $38,000, to him.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint in relation to workers’ wages. Enquiries revealed that the trio were in fact Sparkle’s full-time employees who were entitled to higher pay rates, but the defendant made false representations to them that they were employed as casual cleaning workers at a daily wage of either $420 or $450 only. Meanwhile, the defendant had never returned to Sparkle the wages which he defrauded out of the trio.The FEHD and Sparkle rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Chin Sing-yue. 09
Sep 2024Carpenter team leader of Three-Runway System Project charged by ICAC with bribery for assisting imported workers to continue employmentThe ICAC today (September 9) charged a team leader of carpenters of the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) of the Hong Kong International Airport with allegedly accepting bribes totalling about $54,000 from 10 imported workers for assisting them over their continuous employment.Chen Xianliang, 62, team leader of carpenters and also an imported worker employed by Gammon Construction Limited (Gammon), faces 10 counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday (September 11) for plea.In 2020, Gammon was awarded by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) the contract of the automated people mover and baggage handling system project of the 3RS Project. The defendant was an imported worker employed by Gammon, the main contractor of the aforesaid project, through the Labour Importation Scheme for Construction Sector. He was responsible for leading a team of imported workers to perform carpentry works at the construction site, under the supervision of a subcontractor of Gammon.It is alleged that on various occasions in January 2024, the defendant accepted a bribe of $4,800 to $5,400 from each of the 10 carpenters under his supervision, totalling about $54,000, for assisting the 10 workers to be continually employed by Gammon.The ICAC investigation arose from corruption complaints in relation to alleged wage exploitation involving imported workers. Investigation revealed that the 10 workers concerned were referred by the defendant to work in Hong Kong. In late December 2023, they arrived in Hong Kong from the Mainland to work for the aforesaid project at a monthly salary of over $37,000. Upon their arrival in Hong Kong, the defendant allegedly solicited the aforesaid bribes from the 10 workers.Gammon prohibited its employees from soliciting or accepting any advantages from others for matters in relation to the affairs or business of the company.The Development Bureau and Gammon have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The ICAC urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to pay bribes in exchange for their employment, they should reject and report to the ICAC immediately. To enhance imported workers' understanding of Hong Kong's anti-corruption laws, the ICAC has arranged corruption prevention talks for imported workers within eight weeks of their arrival. Additionally, the ICAC will also make use of other channels to sustain the anti-graft education to imported workers.