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Nov 2025Manager of Three-Runway System Project’s reclamation works sub-contractor charged by ICAC admits briberyFollowing Operation “Blizzard”, the ICAC earlier charged multiple defendants for allegedly offering and accepting bribes in relation to sub-contracts of the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) of the Hong Kong International Airport. A then manager of a reclamation works sub-contractor today (November 17) admitted at the District Court that he had offered a total of $200,000 in bribes to a then Principal Manager of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and a works manager of a main contractor. The then AAHK Principal Manager, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes totalling about $3.3 million from two sub-contractors, is remanded in custody, pending sentence.Rob Liu Wai-lun, 58, then project manager of Carol Engineering Limited (CEL), pleaded guilty to two charges – one of conspiracy to offer an advantage to a public servant and one of conspiracy to offer an advantage to an agent, contrary to sections 4(1)(a) and 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Another similar bribery charge against him was left on file at the District Court.Deputy Judge Ms May Chung Ming-sun adjourned the case to September 7 next year for mention, and granted Liu bail, pending sentence.At the material time, CEL was a main reclamation works sub-contractor of the 3RS Project, responsible for supplying filling materials and providing transportation services. Ricky Lee Wing-fai, then Principal Manager of the AAHK, was responsible for managing the relevant works contracts. He was authorised to recommend sub-contractors to main contractors.The court heard that between May and July 2022, upon the instruction of Ng Kai-on, proprietor of CEL, Liu, as its project manager, offered Lee and a works manager of the main reclamation works contractor a bribe of $100,000 each for assisting CEL to carry out the relevant works.Three co-defendants were earlier charged with multiple counts of bribery and related offences. They were Ng Kai-on, CEL proprietor; and Ricky Lee Wing-fai and Yin Kek-kiong, respectively then Principal Manager and then General Manager of the AAHK.Ng had earlier indicated to the court that he would plead guilty to his charges and his case was scheduled for September 7 next year for formal plea. The charges alleged that Ng had offered bribes to Lee , Yin and three individuals from the main reclamation works contractor of the 3RS Project in relation to its sub-contracts.Meanwhile, Lee had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages and six counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence. He was remanded in custody of the Correctional Services Department, pending sentence.Lee admitted that he had accepted bribes totalling about $2.5 million from Ng for assisting CEL to secure sub-contracts worth over $110 million in relation to the main reclamation works, as well as accepting $800,000 in bribes from the operators of another sub-contractor for assisting the latter to secure purchase orders worth over $140 million.Yin will face trial on September 7 next year as he pleaded not guilty to one count of bribery concerning his suspected acceptance of bribes from Ng for CEL’s sub-contracts.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Noelle Aileen Chit, assisted by ICAC officer Jessie Fu.The present corruption case concerned the awarding of works and material supplies contracts, as well as administrative and financial matters. The ICAC enquiries did not reveal any issues involving the quality of works or specifications of materials. The AAHK had conducted a comprehensive review of all relevant documents and records, with no abnormalities and deficiencies identified. 06
Nov 2025Duo implicated in $3m insurance commissions fraud involving Police Sergeant wanted by ICACThe ICAC earlier charged six individuals, including a Police Sergeant, for allegedly recruiting family members, friends and Police officers to pose as dummy insurance agents and policyholders to take out bogus insurance policies using false information to deceive insurers into releasing payments of commissions, bonuses and allowances totalling about $3 million. While the case was today (November 6) transferred to the District Court for plea in late November, warrants for the arrest of two others implicated in the scam were issued by a Magistrate upon the application by the ICAC.The two wanted persons are Ng Ho-lun, former regional director of Sun Life Hong Kong Limited (Sun Life HK) and former senior branch manager of China Taiping Life Insurance (Hong Kong) Company Limited (Taiping Life HK), and Kuzca Chik Sin-deon (formerly known as Pan Chik Ka-tung), former insurance agent of Sun Life HK, both aged 35. They face a total of 21 charges – 20 of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance; and one of conspiracy to make false instruments, contrary to sections 71 and 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.The insurance commissions fraud was revealed in an ICAC investigation stemming from corruption allegations implicating certain police officers. Upon completion of the investigation, the Commission sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised charging eight individuals. Warrants for the arrest of Ng and Chik, who had already left Hong Kong, were issued by a Magistrate upon the application by the ICAC.The six defendants charged earlier are Lam Hin-ho, Police Sergeant, his elder brother Lam Chun-pong, his sister-in-law Yu Xiaodan, his friend Lau Chun-yee (formerly known as Lau Man-yee), Osbert Hui Yee, solicitor, and Sze Hong-chak, Police Constable, who posed as dummy downline insurance agents or dummy policyholders respectively.They face the 21 counts of fraud and conspiracy to make false instruments in the present case, which was brought to the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts for mention today. The case was transferred to the District Court for plea on November 27 and the bail for the six defendants was extended.At the material time, Lam Hin-ho was a Police Sergeant. He was not an insurance agent eligible to sell any insurance product. Ng was once a regional director of Sun Life HK and then a senior branch manager of Taiping Life HK.Enquiries revealed that Lam Hin-ho and Ng had allegedly recruited certain individuals, including Lam Hin-ho’s family members, friends and Police colleagues, to pose as dummy downline insurance agents and dummy policyholders to take out 20 insurance policies with Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK and pay for the premiums.After underwriting the insurance policies, Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK had respectively released payments, including commissions, bonuses and allowances, totalling about $1 million and about $2 million to the insurance agents concerned. In addition, Lam Hin-ho and Ng had allegedly arranged Lau to join Taiping Life HK to take part in the scam by using false academic qualifications documents.The 20 fraud charges allege that between December 2016 and June 2024, Lam Hin-ho and Ng, together with the six individuals implicated and other dummy downline agents and policyholders, made false representations to Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK on different occasions, and with intent to defraud, induced the two insurers to underwrite the 20 insurance policies in the present case and release to the agents concerned payments, including relevant commissions, bonuses and allowances.It is alleged that they had falsely represented to Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK that the insurance policy applications concerned were genuine; the relevant premiums or contributions were settled by the policyholders; and the dummy insurance agents had personally interviewed the applicants. The relevant premiums were paid by the defendants and their associates.The remaining charge alleges that between January and May 2021, Lam Hin-ho, Ng and Lau had conspired together with other persons to make false instruments, including academic qualifications, with the intention to induce Taiping Life HK to accept them as genuine.The Police, Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK rendered assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Sebastian Louie.Wanted persons:Ng Ho-lun: www.icac.org.hk/en/rc/wanted/index_id_78.htmlKuzca Chik Sin-deon: www.icac.org.hk/en/rc/wanted/index_id_79.html 06
Nov 2025Senior executive of contractor of COVID-19 Community Testing Centres charged by ICAC for concealing conflict of interest in $120m contractA then senior executive of a contractor of COVID-19 Community Testing Centres (CTCs) was charged by the ICAC yesterday (November 5) for allegedly concealing his conflict of interest when contracting out the daily operation of CTCs to a company controlled by him and others, resulting in service payments totalling $120 million.Wong Lei-po, 56, former laboratory director of the Hong Kong Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Centre Limited (HKM), faces one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A (1) of the Theft Ordinance. He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (November 7) for mention.Amid the pandemic, HKM was one of the designated service providers engaged by the government to operate CTCs, comprising the daily operation and laboratory testing. HKM contracted out CTCs’ daily operation, including registration and crowd control, to Health Conscience Limited (HCL).At the material time, the defendant was the laboratory director of HKM overseeing its operation, including the selection of subcontractors. HKM required its staff members to avoid any conflict of interest situation and to declare any actual or potential conflict of interest in writing. The defendant had never declared to HKM his interest in HCL.It is alleged that between January and December 2022, the defendant had concealed from or failed to disclose to HKM his interest in HCL, and with intent to defraud, induced HKM to award the service agreement for daily operation of CTCs to HCL.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that HCL was set up and controlled by the defendant and others. HKM made service payments totalling $120 million to HCL for the service provided by HCL at the material time.HKM rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The ICAC advises business organisations to formulate clear guidelines and systems of declaring conflict of interest. Staff members of business organisations are reminded to avoid conflict of interest situations and to make timely declaration to their employers. Concealing any conflict of interest in relation to one’s official duties to benefit himself or his associates may constitute a breach of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance or other criminal law. 05
Nov 2025CFA unanimously allows DoJ’s appeal and restores convictions of four defendants in listed company bonds placement conspiracy to defraud caseThe Court of Final Appeal (CFA) today (November 5) unanimously allowed the appeal by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and restored the convictions of four persons, including senior executives of a then listed company, who were charged by the ICAC with conspiracy to defraud over bonds placement of the listed company.Mak Kwong-yiu, 51, former executive director of Convoy Financial Services Holdings Limited (Convoy Financial Services); Chan Lai-yee, 53, former chief financial officer of Convoy Financial Services; Wong Shuk-on, 46, former manager of Convoy Financial Services; and Lee Yick-ming, 55, former general manager of Gransing Securities Co., Limited (Gransing), were found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law, after trial at the District Court in September 2021. Mak and Lee were respectively jailed for seven months and five months, while Chan and Wong were respectively sentenced to five months’ and four months’ imprisonment, both suspended for 18 months.The four defendants’ appeal against their convictions was subsequently allowed by the Court of Appeal (CA) of the High Court. The DoJ then filed an appeal with the CFA against the ruling. The appeal was heard by Permanent Judges Mr Justice Roberto Ribeiro, Mr Justice Joseph Fok and Mr Justice Johnson Lam Man-hon, as well as Non-Permanent Judges Mr Justice Frank Stock and Sir William Young on September 3 and 4, 2025.In the judgment handed down by the CFA today, the five judges unanimously allowed the DoJ’s appeal against the CA’s ruling and restored the four defendants’ convictions. Mak and Lee will serve their jail terms.The CFA judges noted in the judgment that the court viewed the bonds placement agreements as a whole and construed the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities (the Listing Rules) on the The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) purposively when assessing whether the transactions involved in the present case constituted connected transactions. The defendants interposed Gransing which served no commercial purpose in the chain of contracts to conceal the indirect interests in the bond placements agreements, breaching the fiduciary duty and constituting the conviction for conspiracy to defraud.The ICAC’s investigation commenced upon receiving complaints in 2017 which alleged breaches of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and the Securities and Futures Ordinance. An operation was jointly mounted by the ICAC and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in December 2017.The court heard that at the material time, Convoy Financial Services, later renamed as Convoy Financial Holdings Limited, was listed (publicly listed Convoy) on the Main Board of the SEHK. Gransing and Convoy Investment Services Limited (CIS), which was not a subsidiary of publicly listed Convoy, both provided dealing in securities regulated activity, such as bonds placement.Mak and two other former executive directors of publicly listed Convoy were substantial shareholders of CIS. If a bonds placement agreement involved transactions between publicly listed Convoy and CIS, the transaction was a connected transaction governed by the Listing Rules.On four occasions between July 8, 2014 and January 21, 2015, publicly listed Convoy engaged Gransing as the placing agent of four bond placing exercises of the publicly listed Convoy. The defendants conspired together to arrange Gransing to further engage CIS as the sub-placing agent of the four bond placing exercises. CIS subsequently received around $49.6 million as sub-placing commission from publicly listed Convoy via Gransing and $1.2 million as bonus from Gransing under the sub-placing arrangements.In fact, Gransing did not place any bonds with any investor and CIS was the actual placing agent. The four defendants dishonestly concealed from publicly listed Convoy and its board of directors and shareholders as well as the SEHK that CIS was the actual placing agent of the four bonds. They had also used Gransing to conceal CIS’s involvement in the bonds placement, causing CIS to receive sub-placing commission. In addition, the concealment deprived shareholders of publicly listed Convoy of the right to vote against the sub-placing arrangements, and hindered the SEHK’s enforcement of the Listing Rules.The SFC, the SEHK and the then publicly listed Convoy rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.An ICAC spokesperson said that the ICAC will continue to maintain close cooperation with the SFC and other relevant regulatory bodies, working together to combat corruption and illegal activities in Hong Kong’s financial market. The ICAC is committed to upholding market integrity, fairness and a clean business environment, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.The prosecution was represented by Senior Public Prosecutors Human Lam and Ivan Shiu, assisted by ICAC officer Matthew Pan. 28
Oct 2025Ex-senior manager of developer and five from subcontractors charged by ICAC guilty of bribery over leakage of tendering documentsA senior construction manager of a developer and five directors and staff of four subcontractors, charged by the ICAC, were today (October 28) convicted after trial at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts of bribery offences. The manager had accepted advantages worth about $180,000, including cash, gifts, etc., provided by the co-defendants for disclosing internal documents and information to assist the latter in the tendering exercises for various work packages of 10 construction projects.The defendants were Constant So Shun-ching, 57, then senior construction manager of Henderson Land Development Company Limited (Henderson Land); Mak Hung-cho, 69, shareholder-cum-director of Lee Shing Masonry Engineering Limited (Lee Shing); Zheng Weicheng, 43, shareholder-cum-director of King Fung Development & Construction Company Limited (King Fung); Chung Yiu-hon, 37, staff member of King Fung; Chow Kit, 50, director of Trigon Building Materials Limited (Trigon); and Chan Lok-kau, 69, consultant of Kinway Engineering Limited (Kinway).The six defendants were found guilty of a total of four counts of conspiracy for agent to accept advantages, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Magistrate Mr Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu adjourned the case to November 27 for mitigation and sentence. The defendants were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.The court heard that at the material time, So was a senior construction manager of Henderson Land. He was responsible for overseeing the works conducted by subcontractors, and providing assistance in tendering exercises of work packages. Lee Shing, King Fung, Trigon and Kinway were registered subcontractors of Henderson Land. They were respectively responsible for plastering, concrete formwork and structure, false ceiling and miscellaneous works.The offences took place between June 2014 and July 2021. So had accepted from the five co-defendants various advantages worth totalling about $180,000 for assisting the four subcontractors – Lee Shing, King Fung, Trigon and Kinway – in the tendering exercises of Henderson Land or its subsidiaries.The advantages which So had accepted were $100,000 in cash, four smartphones worth totalling over $46,000, a birthday banquet worth over $9,000, hotel accommodation in Macao worth about $5,700 and furniture worth $18,000.The ICAC investigation revealed that So had disclosed to the five co-defendants the internal tender documents of Henderson Land in relation to various work packages of 10 residential as well as industrial and commercial construction projects. Such documents contained information including Henderson Land’s estimated cost for the relevant works as well as that concerning tenderers which had submitted the lowest bids.Henderson Land rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Victor Chiu, assisted by ICAC officer Vincent Ching.The ICAC has been actively promoting anti-corruption messages in the construction industry, reminding practitioners to adhere strictly to the POBO and not to abuse one’s official capacity for accepting bribes, thus undermining the integrity of the tendering system and clean business environment.
Nov 2025Manager of Three-Runway System Project’s reclamation works sub-contractor charged by ICAC admits briberyFollowing Operation “Blizzard”, the ICAC earlier charged multiple defendants for allegedly offering and accepting bribes in relation to sub-contracts of the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) of the Hong Kong International Airport. A then manager of a reclamation works sub-contractor today (November 17) admitted at the District Court that he had offered a total of $200,000 in bribes to a then Principal Manager of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and a works manager of a main contractor. The then AAHK Principal Manager, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes totalling about $3.3 million from two sub-contractors, is remanded in custody, pending sentence.Rob Liu Wai-lun, 58, then project manager of Carol Engineering Limited (CEL), pleaded guilty to two charges – one of conspiracy to offer an advantage to a public servant and one of conspiracy to offer an advantage to an agent, contrary to sections 4(1)(a) and 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Another similar bribery charge against him was left on file at the District Court.Deputy Judge Ms May Chung Ming-sun adjourned the case to September 7 next year for mention, and granted Liu bail, pending sentence.At the material time, CEL was a main reclamation works sub-contractor of the 3RS Project, responsible for supplying filling materials and providing transportation services. Ricky Lee Wing-fai, then Principal Manager of the AAHK, was responsible for managing the relevant works contracts. He was authorised to recommend sub-contractors to main contractors.The court heard that between May and July 2022, upon the instruction of Ng Kai-on, proprietor of CEL, Liu, as its project manager, offered Lee and a works manager of the main reclamation works contractor a bribe of $100,000 each for assisting CEL to carry out the relevant works.Three co-defendants were earlier charged with multiple counts of bribery and related offences. They were Ng Kai-on, CEL proprietor; and Ricky Lee Wing-fai and Yin Kek-kiong, respectively then Principal Manager and then General Manager of the AAHK.Ng had earlier indicated to the court that he would plead guilty to his charges and his case was scheduled for September 7 next year for formal plea. The charges alleged that Ng had offered bribes to Lee , Yin and three individuals from the main reclamation works contractor of the 3RS Project in relation to its sub-contracts.Meanwhile, Lee had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages and six counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence. He was remanded in custody of the Correctional Services Department, pending sentence.Lee admitted that he had accepted bribes totalling about $2.5 million from Ng for assisting CEL to secure sub-contracts worth over $110 million in relation to the main reclamation works, as well as accepting $800,000 in bribes from the operators of another sub-contractor for assisting the latter to secure purchase orders worth over $140 million.Yin will face trial on September 7 next year as he pleaded not guilty to one count of bribery concerning his suspected acceptance of bribes from Ng for CEL’s sub-contracts.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Noelle Aileen Chit, assisted by ICAC officer Jessie Fu.The present corruption case concerned the awarding of works and material supplies contracts, as well as administrative and financial matters. The ICAC enquiries did not reveal any issues involving the quality of works or specifications of materials. The AAHK had conducted a comprehensive review of all relevant documents and records, with no abnormalities and deficiencies identified. 06
Nov 2025Duo implicated in $3m insurance commissions fraud involving Police Sergeant wanted by ICACThe ICAC earlier charged six individuals, including a Police Sergeant, for allegedly recruiting family members, friends and Police officers to pose as dummy insurance agents and policyholders to take out bogus insurance policies using false information to deceive insurers into releasing payments of commissions, bonuses and allowances totalling about $3 million. While the case was today (November 6) transferred to the District Court for plea in late November, warrants for the arrest of two others implicated in the scam were issued by a Magistrate upon the application by the ICAC.The two wanted persons are Ng Ho-lun, former regional director of Sun Life Hong Kong Limited (Sun Life HK) and former senior branch manager of China Taiping Life Insurance (Hong Kong) Company Limited (Taiping Life HK), and Kuzca Chik Sin-deon (formerly known as Pan Chik Ka-tung), former insurance agent of Sun Life HK, both aged 35. They face a total of 21 charges – 20 of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance; and one of conspiracy to make false instruments, contrary to sections 71 and 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.The insurance commissions fraud was revealed in an ICAC investigation stemming from corruption allegations implicating certain police officers. Upon completion of the investigation, the Commission sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised charging eight individuals. Warrants for the arrest of Ng and Chik, who had already left Hong Kong, were issued by a Magistrate upon the application by the ICAC.The six defendants charged earlier are Lam Hin-ho, Police Sergeant, his elder brother Lam Chun-pong, his sister-in-law Yu Xiaodan, his friend Lau Chun-yee (formerly known as Lau Man-yee), Osbert Hui Yee, solicitor, and Sze Hong-chak, Police Constable, who posed as dummy downline insurance agents or dummy policyholders respectively.They face the 21 counts of fraud and conspiracy to make false instruments in the present case, which was brought to the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts for mention today. The case was transferred to the District Court for plea on November 27 and the bail for the six defendants was extended.At the material time, Lam Hin-ho was a Police Sergeant. He was not an insurance agent eligible to sell any insurance product. Ng was once a regional director of Sun Life HK and then a senior branch manager of Taiping Life HK.Enquiries revealed that Lam Hin-ho and Ng had allegedly recruited certain individuals, including Lam Hin-ho’s family members, friends and Police colleagues, to pose as dummy downline insurance agents and dummy policyholders to take out 20 insurance policies with Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK and pay for the premiums.After underwriting the insurance policies, Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK had respectively released payments, including commissions, bonuses and allowances, totalling about $1 million and about $2 million to the insurance agents concerned. In addition, Lam Hin-ho and Ng had allegedly arranged Lau to join Taiping Life HK to take part in the scam by using false academic qualifications documents.The 20 fraud charges allege that between December 2016 and June 2024, Lam Hin-ho and Ng, together with the six individuals implicated and other dummy downline agents and policyholders, made false representations to Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK on different occasions, and with intent to defraud, induced the two insurers to underwrite the 20 insurance policies in the present case and release to the agents concerned payments, including relevant commissions, bonuses and allowances.It is alleged that they had falsely represented to Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK that the insurance policy applications concerned were genuine; the relevant premiums or contributions were settled by the policyholders; and the dummy insurance agents had personally interviewed the applicants. The relevant premiums were paid by the defendants and their associates.The remaining charge alleges that between January and May 2021, Lam Hin-ho, Ng and Lau had conspired together with other persons to make false instruments, including academic qualifications, with the intention to induce Taiping Life HK to accept them as genuine.The Police, Sun Life HK and Taiping Life HK rendered assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Sebastian Louie.Wanted persons:Ng Ho-lun: www.icac.org.hk/en/rc/wanted/index_id_78.htmlKuzca Chik Sin-deon: www.icac.org.hk/en/rc/wanted/index_id_79.html 06
Nov 2025Senior executive of contractor of COVID-19 Community Testing Centres charged by ICAC for concealing conflict of interest in $120m contractA then senior executive of a contractor of COVID-19 Community Testing Centres (CTCs) was charged by the ICAC yesterday (November 5) for allegedly concealing his conflict of interest when contracting out the daily operation of CTCs to a company controlled by him and others, resulting in service payments totalling $120 million.Wong Lei-po, 56, former laboratory director of the Hong Kong Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Centre Limited (HKM), faces one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A (1) of the Theft Ordinance. He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (November 7) for mention.Amid the pandemic, HKM was one of the designated service providers engaged by the government to operate CTCs, comprising the daily operation and laboratory testing. HKM contracted out CTCs’ daily operation, including registration and crowd control, to Health Conscience Limited (HCL).At the material time, the defendant was the laboratory director of HKM overseeing its operation, including the selection of subcontractors. HKM required its staff members to avoid any conflict of interest situation and to declare any actual or potential conflict of interest in writing. The defendant had never declared to HKM his interest in HCL.It is alleged that between January and December 2022, the defendant had concealed from or failed to disclose to HKM his interest in HCL, and with intent to defraud, induced HKM to award the service agreement for daily operation of CTCs to HCL.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that HCL was set up and controlled by the defendant and others. HKM made service payments totalling $120 million to HCL for the service provided by HCL at the material time.HKM rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The ICAC advises business organisations to formulate clear guidelines and systems of declaring conflict of interest. Staff members of business organisations are reminded to avoid conflict of interest situations and to make timely declaration to their employers. Concealing any conflict of interest in relation to one’s official duties to benefit himself or his associates may constitute a breach of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance or other criminal law. 05
Nov 2025CFA unanimously allows DoJ’s appeal and restores convictions of four defendants in listed company bonds placement conspiracy to defraud caseThe Court of Final Appeal (CFA) today (November 5) unanimously allowed the appeal by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and restored the convictions of four persons, including senior executives of a then listed company, who were charged by the ICAC with conspiracy to defraud over bonds placement of the listed company.Mak Kwong-yiu, 51, former executive director of Convoy Financial Services Holdings Limited (Convoy Financial Services); Chan Lai-yee, 53, former chief financial officer of Convoy Financial Services; Wong Shuk-on, 46, former manager of Convoy Financial Services; and Lee Yick-ming, 55, former general manager of Gransing Securities Co., Limited (Gransing), were found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law, after trial at the District Court in September 2021. Mak and Lee were respectively jailed for seven months and five months, while Chan and Wong were respectively sentenced to five months’ and four months’ imprisonment, both suspended for 18 months.The four defendants’ appeal against their convictions was subsequently allowed by the Court of Appeal (CA) of the High Court. The DoJ then filed an appeal with the CFA against the ruling. The appeal was heard by Permanent Judges Mr Justice Roberto Ribeiro, Mr Justice Joseph Fok and Mr Justice Johnson Lam Man-hon, as well as Non-Permanent Judges Mr Justice Frank Stock and Sir William Young on September 3 and 4, 2025.In the judgment handed down by the CFA today, the five judges unanimously allowed the DoJ’s appeal against the CA’s ruling and restored the four defendants’ convictions. Mak and Lee will serve their jail terms.The CFA judges noted in the judgment that the court viewed the bonds placement agreements as a whole and construed the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities (the Listing Rules) on the The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) purposively when assessing whether the transactions involved in the present case constituted connected transactions. The defendants interposed Gransing which served no commercial purpose in the chain of contracts to conceal the indirect interests in the bond placements agreements, breaching the fiduciary duty and constituting the conviction for conspiracy to defraud.The ICAC’s investigation commenced upon receiving complaints in 2017 which alleged breaches of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and the Securities and Futures Ordinance. An operation was jointly mounted by the ICAC and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in December 2017.The court heard that at the material time, Convoy Financial Services, later renamed as Convoy Financial Holdings Limited, was listed (publicly listed Convoy) on the Main Board of the SEHK. Gransing and Convoy Investment Services Limited (CIS), which was not a subsidiary of publicly listed Convoy, both provided dealing in securities regulated activity, such as bonds placement.Mak and two other former executive directors of publicly listed Convoy were substantial shareholders of CIS. If a bonds placement agreement involved transactions between publicly listed Convoy and CIS, the transaction was a connected transaction governed by the Listing Rules.On four occasions between July 8, 2014 and January 21, 2015, publicly listed Convoy engaged Gransing as the placing agent of four bond placing exercises of the publicly listed Convoy. The defendants conspired together to arrange Gransing to further engage CIS as the sub-placing agent of the four bond placing exercises. CIS subsequently received around $49.6 million as sub-placing commission from publicly listed Convoy via Gransing and $1.2 million as bonus from Gransing under the sub-placing arrangements.In fact, Gransing did not place any bonds with any investor and CIS was the actual placing agent. The four defendants dishonestly concealed from publicly listed Convoy and its board of directors and shareholders as well as the SEHK that CIS was the actual placing agent of the four bonds. They had also used Gransing to conceal CIS’s involvement in the bonds placement, causing CIS to receive sub-placing commission. In addition, the concealment deprived shareholders of publicly listed Convoy of the right to vote against the sub-placing arrangements, and hindered the SEHK’s enforcement of the Listing Rules.The SFC, the SEHK and the then publicly listed Convoy rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.An ICAC spokesperson said that the ICAC will continue to maintain close cooperation with the SFC and other relevant regulatory bodies, working together to combat corruption and illegal activities in Hong Kong’s financial market. The ICAC is committed to upholding market integrity, fairness and a clean business environment, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.The prosecution was represented by Senior Public Prosecutors Human Lam and Ivan Shiu, assisted by ICAC officer Matthew Pan. 28
Oct 2025Ex-senior manager of developer and five from subcontractors charged by ICAC guilty of bribery over leakage of tendering documentsA senior construction manager of a developer and five directors and staff of four subcontractors, charged by the ICAC, were today (October 28) convicted after trial at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts of bribery offences. The manager had accepted advantages worth about $180,000, including cash, gifts, etc., provided by the co-defendants for disclosing internal documents and information to assist the latter in the tendering exercises for various work packages of 10 construction projects.The defendants were Constant So Shun-ching, 57, then senior construction manager of Henderson Land Development Company Limited (Henderson Land); Mak Hung-cho, 69, shareholder-cum-director of Lee Shing Masonry Engineering Limited (Lee Shing); Zheng Weicheng, 43, shareholder-cum-director of King Fung Development & Construction Company Limited (King Fung); Chung Yiu-hon, 37, staff member of King Fung; Chow Kit, 50, director of Trigon Building Materials Limited (Trigon); and Chan Lok-kau, 69, consultant of Kinway Engineering Limited (Kinway).The six defendants were found guilty of a total of four counts of conspiracy for agent to accept advantages, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Magistrate Mr Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu adjourned the case to November 27 for mitigation and sentence. The defendants were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.The court heard that at the material time, So was a senior construction manager of Henderson Land. He was responsible for overseeing the works conducted by subcontractors, and providing assistance in tendering exercises of work packages. Lee Shing, King Fung, Trigon and Kinway were registered subcontractors of Henderson Land. They were respectively responsible for plastering, concrete formwork and structure, false ceiling and miscellaneous works.The offences took place between June 2014 and July 2021. So had accepted from the five co-defendants various advantages worth totalling about $180,000 for assisting the four subcontractors – Lee Shing, King Fung, Trigon and Kinway – in the tendering exercises of Henderson Land or its subsidiaries.The advantages which So had accepted were $100,000 in cash, four smartphones worth totalling over $46,000, a birthday banquet worth over $9,000, hotel accommodation in Macao worth about $5,700 and furniture worth $18,000.The ICAC investigation revealed that So had disclosed to the five co-defendants the internal tender documents of Henderson Land in relation to various work packages of 10 residential as well as industrial and commercial construction projects. Such documents contained information including Henderson Land’s estimated cost for the relevant works as well as that concerning tenderers which had submitted the lowest bids.Henderson Land rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Victor Chiu, assisted by ICAC officer Vincent Ching.The ICAC has been actively promoting anti-corruption messages in the construction industry, reminding practitioners to adhere strictly to the POBO and not to abuse one’s official capacity for accepting bribes, thus undermining the integrity of the tendering system and clean business environment.