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Ethical Decision MakingRecent ICAC Cases
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Apr 2025Ex-bank employee among trio charged by ICAC for allegedly conspiring with intermediary to accept bribes over account openingA former bank employee and a couple, both insurance agents cum intermediaries, were charged by the ICAC yesterday (April 2) for allegedly conspiring together for the bank employee to accept bribes totalling over $150,000 for assisting clients of the intermediaries to open bank accounts.Lo Wing-hang, 30, former insurance specialist of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC); and Han Jie, 35, and his wife Zhou Yinying, 34, both insurance agents cum intermediaries; jointly face one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.The trio were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (April 7) for mention.It is alleged that between November 2022 and December 2024, the three defendants had conspired together for Lo to accept bribes totalling over $150,000 from Han and Zhou for assisting clients referred by Han to open bank accounts with HSBC.ICAC enquiries revealed that Han had referred over 200 clients to Lo for bank account opening during the abovementioned two years. It is alleged that Lo had accepted a reward, ranging from a few hundred dollars to $1,500, for each successful application.HSBC rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 28
Mar 2025Then property manager charged by ICAC faces 56 months’ jail for stealing $11m minor works payments from three estatesAn ICAC investigation, prompted by a corruption complaint, revealed that a then property manager of a property management company had stolen minor works payments of a public housing estate and two Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) estates totalling over $11 million. The property manager was today (March 28) sentenced to 56 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to theft at the District Court.Lee Ho-yin, 46, then regional manager of Easy Living Consultant Limited (Easy Living), today pleaded guilty to four counts of theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.In sentencing, Deputy District Judge Mr Jason Wan Siu-ming remarked that Lee had stolen works payments on over 300 occasions, constituting a serious breach of trust. The serious nature of the offences in the present case warranted an imprisonment of over seven years. Having considered Lee’s guilty plea and other factors, a 56-month jail term was handed down.The court heard that at the material time, Easy Living provided property management services to a public housing estate, Lower Wong Tai Sin (2) Estate, and two HOS estates in Yau Tong – Ko Cheung Court and Yau Mei Court. Lee was originally a senior property manager of Easy Living posted to Lower Wong Tai Sin (2) Estate. After he was promoted to regional manager in mid-2021, he was also in charge of the services provided to Ko Cheung Court and Yau Mei Court. Among other duties, Lee was responsible for settling payments with the works contractors.Easy Living operated various bank accounts for settling maintenance works and recurring expenses for the three estates. To withdraw funds less than $60,000 from those bank accounts, joint signatures of two authorised signatories of the company were required. Lee was one of the authorised signatories.The ICAC investigation stemmed from a corruption complaint concerning the works payments of the three estates. Enquiries revealed that between May 2019 and May 2022, Lee had stolen sums totalling over $11 million from those bank accounts.It was also found that during the abovementioned period, Lee had caused Easy Living to issue 319 cheques to settle various minor works payments by fraudulent means. While various contractors were the purported payees of the cheques in the sum ranging from about $1,900 to over $58,000 each, the cheques were eventually deposited into the personal bank accounts of the Lee and his wife.The Housing Department and Easy Living rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Douglas Lau, assisted by ICAC officer Anthony Chan.The ICAC attaches great importance to the integrity standard of the property management sector. In view of the present case, the ICAC has reviewed the relevant payment approving process and works monitoring mechanism and provided corresponding preventive measures to the Housing Department in order to mitigate the corruption risks. To further enhance the corruption prevention capabilities of the sector, the Commission has launched the Corruption Prevention Guide for Property Management Companies to assist property management companies in strengthening their internal control measures for managing corruption risks, including financial and account management. The ICAC regularly organises continuing professional development courses and developed self-learning training materials for practitioners. Additionally, it disseminates anti-corruption information to property management companies through the “Integrity Property Management League”, adopting a multifaceted strategy to enhance the industry’s integrity level. 27
Mar 2025Then property agent among duo charged by ICAC for bribing supervisor over absence from duty wage fraudA then property agent was charged by the ICAC yesterday (March 26) for allegedly bribing his up-line manager for conniving at his absence from duty for months and falsifying his attendance records to defraud a property agency of salary payments totalling over $58,000. The duo were also suspected of defrauding the company of commissions by making false representation about the handling agent in a property transaction.Wong Man-pan, 30, then property agent of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty), faces one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Wong further jointly faces one count of fraud with Leung Kit, branch manager of Midland Realty, 31. The duo were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (March 28) for plea.At the material time, Leung was the manager of a branch of Midland Realty in Tseung Kwan O while Wong was his down-line property agent. All property agents of Midland Realty were required to clock their attendance at the workplace by electronic means. Branch managers were required to report to their supervisors any unusual absences of their subordinates.It is alleged that between late May and late December 2021, Wong, together with Leung, had falsely represented to Midland Realty that the attendance records of Wong in the eight months were genuine, and with intent to defraud, induced Midland Realty to make salary payments totalling over $58,000 to him. Upon receiving the salary payments, Wong was suspected of offering a bribe of a few thousand dollars per month, totalling $38,000, to Leung for conniving at Wong’s absence from duty.In addition, it is alleged that between late June 2021 and mid-July 2022, Leung and Wong had falsely represented to Midland Realty that Wong was the handling agent of the sale and purchase transaction of a private residential property in Sha Tin, and with intent to defraud, induced Midland Realty to overpay commissions in the total sum of over $22,000 to the duo.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that at the material time, Wong had worked as a full-time waiter at a restaurant. He had indeed only worked in Midland Realty for a few days and had no involvement in the Sha Tin property transaction.Midland Realty rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 26
Mar 2025Subcontractor duo charged by ICAC sentenced for bribery over employment of workers at Community Isolation Facility construction siteA then team leader and a then construction worker of a works subcontractor, charged by the ICAC, today (March 26) received a custodial sentence and a community service order at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts respectively for soliciting and accepting bribes totalling about $98,000 from four formwork workers referred by them to work at a Community Isolation Facility construction site on Lantau Island during the COVID-19 pandemic.Lui Yu-shan, 53, then team leader of Ching Hung Engineering Company Limited (Ching Hung), was jailed for 18 weeks; co-defendant Chen Qiang, 46, then construction worker of Ching Hung, was ordered to perform 180 hours of community service. The duo earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of agents soliciting an advantage and one count of agent accepting advantages in total, all contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi reprimanded the defendants for exploiting their fellow workers. Lui, who played a key role in the present case and accepted bribes from workers, deserved a custodial sentence. Chen solicited bribes from workers but did not make any personal gain, was handed a community service order.The Acting Principal Magistrate had earlier ordered the duo to make a restitution of about $98,000, being the bribes involved in the present case, to their then employer, Ching Hung.The court heard that between March and June 2022, Ching Hung was a formworks subcontractor of the construction of a Community Isolation Facility at Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island responsible for providing construction workers. Lui was a team leader of Ching Hung tasked to refer workers to the company and to supervise them, including Chen, at the construction site.In early March 2022, four formworks workers started working at the construction site at a daily wage of $2,000 each under the supervision of Lui upon Chen’s referral. On various occasions, the two defendants solicited bribes of $500 per working day from the four workers and requested them to pay the bribes to Lui in relation to their employment.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four workers made bribe payments totalling about $98,000 to Lui after receiving wages from Ching Hung in fear of losing their jobs.Ching Hung rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Keith Yan. 19
Mar 2025Two EMSD Works Supervisor and a supplier charged by ICAC with conspiracy to defraud revealed in procurement bribery probeTwo Works Supervisors of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and one supplier, implicated in an ICAC bribery investigation into EMSD frontline staff, were charged on Monday (March 17). The trio were suspected of procuring the award of purchase orders in the total sum of over 13.6 million to the supplier on various occasions in a span of seven years by illicit bribery means, and inflating the number and the price of the items to be purchased. Charges of conspiracy to defraud were laid against the trio, who will appear in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this afternoon (March 19) for mention.As the bribery inquiries are still ongoing, the ICAC would not rule out laying additional charges against the trio or prosecuting other individuals after seeking further legal advice from the Department of Justice.Two of the defendants are Tsang Tak-keung (57) and Yip Wai-ho (51); both Works Supervisors I posted to the Health Sector Division of the EMSD; and the third defendant Cheung Chun-kit (66), was the sole operator of three suppliers, namely Leader Med Technology Limited, Hi Quali Trading Company and Smartechnique Services Company. The trio face two charges of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.At the material time, Tsang and Yip were responsible for providing maintenance services to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Polyclinic respectively. Among other duties, the duo were responsible for contacting suppliers for quotations of machinery parts used in the works and compiling internal quotation vetting documents (the Quotation Documents).According to EMSD’s procurement guidelines, the duo should invite more than one supplier for quotations for purchase of items valued equal at or below $50,000. In general practice, three quotations would be obtained from different suppliers in each procurement exercise.One of the charges alleges that between January 2020 and June 2024, Tsang and Cheung conspired together to defraud the EMSD to make payments to the three companies of Cheung. It is alleged that the duo falsely represented that the companies were respectively the lowest bidder in a procurement involving purchase of items valued at or below $50,000, inflating the number and the price of the items to be purchased, and making false representation that the information contained in the Quotation Documents was true and accurate. It was revealed in the ICAC enquiries that the EMSD had thus awarded around 180 purchase orders in a total sum of over $8 million to the three companies of Cheung.The other charge alleges that between January 2017 and June 2024, Yip and Cheung conspired together to defraud the EMSD to make payments to the three companies of Cheung by similar fraudulent means. The procurements involved around 140 purchase orders in a total sum of about $5.6 million.Enquiries by the Commission found that Cheung had allegedly reached an agreement with Tsang and Yip respectively to offer various gifts to them. To fraudulently obtain money to purchase the gifts and allow Cheung to profit margin, the trio had allegedly inflated the quantity and the price of the machinery parts in some of the purchase orders, while some other purchase orders were fabricated.ICAC enquiries revealed that Tsang is suspected of accepting over 80 gifts worth a total of over $500,000 from Cheung while Yip allegedly accepted from Cheung over 20 gifts worth totalling about $800,000 at the material time. The gifts included luxurious watches, branded handbag, jewelry, various household appliances and digital products etc.The EMSD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.In view of the present case, the ICAC has provided corresponding preventive measures for maintenance and procurement work, and enhanced the integrity training for EMSD staff responsible for such procurement to avoid recurrence of similar incidents. The ICAC will continue to work closely with the EMSD on the adoption of preventive measures, and provide training in order to mitigate corruption risks in relation to maintenance and procurement work so as to forge a culture of probity and efficiency.
Apr 2025Ex-bank employee among trio charged by ICAC for allegedly conspiring with intermediary to accept bribes over account openingA former bank employee and a couple, both insurance agents cum intermediaries, were charged by the ICAC yesterday (April 2) for allegedly conspiring together for the bank employee to accept bribes totalling over $150,000 for assisting clients of the intermediaries to open bank accounts.Lo Wing-hang, 30, former insurance specialist of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC); and Han Jie, 35, and his wife Zhou Yinying, 34, both insurance agents cum intermediaries; jointly face one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.The trio were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (April 7) for mention.It is alleged that between November 2022 and December 2024, the three defendants had conspired together for Lo to accept bribes totalling over $150,000 from Han and Zhou for assisting clients referred by Han to open bank accounts with HSBC.ICAC enquiries revealed that Han had referred over 200 clients to Lo for bank account opening during the abovementioned two years. It is alleged that Lo had accepted a reward, ranging from a few hundred dollars to $1,500, for each successful application.HSBC rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 28
Mar 2025Then property manager charged by ICAC faces 56 months’ jail for stealing $11m minor works payments from three estatesAn ICAC investigation, prompted by a corruption complaint, revealed that a then property manager of a property management company had stolen minor works payments of a public housing estate and two Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) estates totalling over $11 million. The property manager was today (March 28) sentenced to 56 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to theft at the District Court.Lee Ho-yin, 46, then regional manager of Easy Living Consultant Limited (Easy Living), today pleaded guilty to four counts of theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.In sentencing, Deputy District Judge Mr Jason Wan Siu-ming remarked that Lee had stolen works payments on over 300 occasions, constituting a serious breach of trust. The serious nature of the offences in the present case warranted an imprisonment of over seven years. Having considered Lee’s guilty plea and other factors, a 56-month jail term was handed down.The court heard that at the material time, Easy Living provided property management services to a public housing estate, Lower Wong Tai Sin (2) Estate, and two HOS estates in Yau Tong – Ko Cheung Court and Yau Mei Court. Lee was originally a senior property manager of Easy Living posted to Lower Wong Tai Sin (2) Estate. After he was promoted to regional manager in mid-2021, he was also in charge of the services provided to Ko Cheung Court and Yau Mei Court. Among other duties, Lee was responsible for settling payments with the works contractors.Easy Living operated various bank accounts for settling maintenance works and recurring expenses for the three estates. To withdraw funds less than $60,000 from those bank accounts, joint signatures of two authorised signatories of the company were required. Lee was one of the authorised signatories.The ICAC investigation stemmed from a corruption complaint concerning the works payments of the three estates. Enquiries revealed that between May 2019 and May 2022, Lee had stolen sums totalling over $11 million from those bank accounts.It was also found that during the abovementioned period, Lee had caused Easy Living to issue 319 cheques to settle various minor works payments by fraudulent means. While various contractors were the purported payees of the cheques in the sum ranging from about $1,900 to over $58,000 each, the cheques were eventually deposited into the personal bank accounts of the Lee and his wife.The Housing Department and Easy Living rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Douglas Lau, assisted by ICAC officer Anthony Chan.The ICAC attaches great importance to the integrity standard of the property management sector. In view of the present case, the ICAC has reviewed the relevant payment approving process and works monitoring mechanism and provided corresponding preventive measures to the Housing Department in order to mitigate the corruption risks. To further enhance the corruption prevention capabilities of the sector, the Commission has launched the Corruption Prevention Guide for Property Management Companies to assist property management companies in strengthening their internal control measures for managing corruption risks, including financial and account management. The ICAC regularly organises continuing professional development courses and developed self-learning training materials for practitioners. Additionally, it disseminates anti-corruption information to property management companies through the “Integrity Property Management League”, adopting a multifaceted strategy to enhance the industry’s integrity level. 27
Mar 2025Then property agent among duo charged by ICAC for bribing supervisor over absence from duty wage fraudA then property agent was charged by the ICAC yesterday (March 26) for allegedly bribing his up-line manager for conniving at his absence from duty for months and falsifying his attendance records to defraud a property agency of salary payments totalling over $58,000. The duo were also suspected of defrauding the company of commissions by making false representation about the handling agent in a property transaction.Wong Man-pan, 30, then property agent of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty), faces one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Wong further jointly faces one count of fraud with Leung Kit, branch manager of Midland Realty, 31. The duo were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (March 28) for plea.At the material time, Leung was the manager of a branch of Midland Realty in Tseung Kwan O while Wong was his down-line property agent. All property agents of Midland Realty were required to clock their attendance at the workplace by electronic means. Branch managers were required to report to their supervisors any unusual absences of their subordinates.It is alleged that between late May and late December 2021, Wong, together with Leung, had falsely represented to Midland Realty that the attendance records of Wong in the eight months were genuine, and with intent to defraud, induced Midland Realty to make salary payments totalling over $58,000 to him. Upon receiving the salary payments, Wong was suspected of offering a bribe of a few thousand dollars per month, totalling $38,000, to Leung for conniving at Wong’s absence from duty.In addition, it is alleged that between late June 2021 and mid-July 2022, Leung and Wong had falsely represented to Midland Realty that Wong was the handling agent of the sale and purchase transaction of a private residential property in Sha Tin, and with intent to defraud, induced Midland Realty to overpay commissions in the total sum of over $22,000 to the duo.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that at the material time, Wong had worked as a full-time waiter at a restaurant. He had indeed only worked in Midland Realty for a few days and had no involvement in the Sha Tin property transaction.Midland Realty rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 26
Mar 2025Subcontractor duo charged by ICAC sentenced for bribery over employment of workers at Community Isolation Facility construction siteA then team leader and a then construction worker of a works subcontractor, charged by the ICAC, today (March 26) received a custodial sentence and a community service order at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts respectively for soliciting and accepting bribes totalling about $98,000 from four formwork workers referred by them to work at a Community Isolation Facility construction site on Lantau Island during the COVID-19 pandemic.Lui Yu-shan, 53, then team leader of Ching Hung Engineering Company Limited (Ching Hung), was jailed for 18 weeks; co-defendant Chen Qiang, 46, then construction worker of Ching Hung, was ordered to perform 180 hours of community service. The duo earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of agents soliciting an advantage and one count of agent accepting advantages in total, all contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi reprimanded the defendants for exploiting their fellow workers. Lui, who played a key role in the present case and accepted bribes from workers, deserved a custodial sentence. Chen solicited bribes from workers but did not make any personal gain, was handed a community service order.The Acting Principal Magistrate had earlier ordered the duo to make a restitution of about $98,000, being the bribes involved in the present case, to their then employer, Ching Hung.The court heard that between March and June 2022, Ching Hung was a formworks subcontractor of the construction of a Community Isolation Facility at Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island responsible for providing construction workers. Lui was a team leader of Ching Hung tasked to refer workers to the company and to supervise them, including Chen, at the construction site.In early March 2022, four formworks workers started working at the construction site at a daily wage of $2,000 each under the supervision of Lui upon Chen’s referral. On various occasions, the two defendants solicited bribes of $500 per working day from the four workers and requested them to pay the bribes to Lui in relation to their employment.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four workers made bribe payments totalling about $98,000 to Lui after receiving wages from Ching Hung in fear of losing their jobs.Ching Hung rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Keith Yan. 19
Mar 2025Two EMSD Works Supervisor and a supplier charged by ICAC with conspiracy to defraud revealed in procurement bribery probeTwo Works Supervisors of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and one supplier, implicated in an ICAC bribery investigation into EMSD frontline staff, were charged on Monday (March 17). The trio were suspected of procuring the award of purchase orders in the total sum of over 13.6 million to the supplier on various occasions in a span of seven years by illicit bribery means, and inflating the number and the price of the items to be purchased. Charges of conspiracy to defraud were laid against the trio, who will appear in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this afternoon (March 19) for mention.As the bribery inquiries are still ongoing, the ICAC would not rule out laying additional charges against the trio or prosecuting other individuals after seeking further legal advice from the Department of Justice.Two of the defendants are Tsang Tak-keung (57) and Yip Wai-ho (51); both Works Supervisors I posted to the Health Sector Division of the EMSD; and the third defendant Cheung Chun-kit (66), was the sole operator of three suppliers, namely Leader Med Technology Limited, Hi Quali Trading Company and Smartechnique Services Company. The trio face two charges of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.At the material time, Tsang and Yip were responsible for providing maintenance services to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Polyclinic respectively. Among other duties, the duo were responsible for contacting suppliers for quotations of machinery parts used in the works and compiling internal quotation vetting documents (the Quotation Documents).According to EMSD’s procurement guidelines, the duo should invite more than one supplier for quotations for purchase of items valued equal at or below $50,000. In general practice, three quotations would be obtained from different suppliers in each procurement exercise.One of the charges alleges that between January 2020 and June 2024, Tsang and Cheung conspired together to defraud the EMSD to make payments to the three companies of Cheung. It is alleged that the duo falsely represented that the companies were respectively the lowest bidder in a procurement involving purchase of items valued at or below $50,000, inflating the number and the price of the items to be purchased, and making false representation that the information contained in the Quotation Documents was true and accurate. It was revealed in the ICAC enquiries that the EMSD had thus awarded around 180 purchase orders in a total sum of over $8 million to the three companies of Cheung.The other charge alleges that between January 2017 and June 2024, Yip and Cheung conspired together to defraud the EMSD to make payments to the three companies of Cheung by similar fraudulent means. The procurements involved around 140 purchase orders in a total sum of about $5.6 million.Enquiries by the Commission found that Cheung had allegedly reached an agreement with Tsang and Yip respectively to offer various gifts to them. To fraudulently obtain money to purchase the gifts and allow Cheung to profit margin, the trio had allegedly inflated the quantity and the price of the machinery parts in some of the purchase orders, while some other purchase orders were fabricated.ICAC enquiries revealed that Tsang is suspected of accepting over 80 gifts worth a total of over $500,000 from Cheung while Yip allegedly accepted from Cheung over 20 gifts worth totalling about $800,000 at the material time. The gifts included luxurious watches, branded handbag, jewelry, various household appliances and digital products etc.The EMSD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.In view of the present case, the ICAC has provided corresponding preventive measures for maintenance and procurement work, and enhanced the integrity training for EMSD staff responsible for such procurement to avoid recurrence of similar incidents. The ICAC will continue to work closely with the EMSD on the adoption of preventive measures, and provide training in order to mitigate corruption risks in relation to maintenance and procurement work so as to forge a culture of probity and efficiency.