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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). 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 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. 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. 05
Sep 2024ICAC Three-Runway System Project’s sub-contracts bribery cases: Ex-AAHK Principal Manager admits $3.3m bribery and money-launderingFollowing enforcement actions earlier taken by the ICAC in Operation “Blizzard”, a number of persons were arrested and charged in separate cases for suspected corruption in relation to the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) of the Hong Kong International Airport. The total bribe money involved in the cases amounted to around $7.7 million, concerning works sub-contracts and materials purchase orders worth over $280 million in total. Among the persons charged by the ICAC, a former Principal Manager of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) today (September 5) admitted at the District Court that he had accepted bribes of about $3.3 million and laundered crime proceeds totalling about $5.7 million.Ricky Lee Wing-fai, 49, former Principal Manager of the AAHK, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and six counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence (commonly known as money-laundering), contrary to section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance. Another money-laundering offence against him was left on court file.Judge Mr Eddie Yip Chor-man adjourned the case to September 12 for mention. Lee was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.The aforesaid offences took place between January 2017 and August 2022. The court heard that in January 2017, Lee joined the AAHK as a Senior Project Engineer. He was promoted to Principal Manager in May 2022. At the material time, he was responsible for managing various works contracts of the 3RS Project, including those for the main reclamation and the new runway. Lee was also authorised to recommend subcontractors to contractors.Regarding one of the corruption charges, Lee admitted that he had accepted bribes totalling about $2.5 million from the proprietor of a civil engineering and foundation projects subcontractor for assisting the subcontractor to be favoured by the main reclamation works contractor of the 3RS Project, and securing a subcontract. The subcontractor had accepted payments totalling about $8.3 million in relation to the relevant subcontract.Lee was also found to have recommended the subcontractor to the main contractor of one of the new runway projects. The subcontractor was awarded subcontracts worth $28 million, which were eventually terminated by the main contractor after the ICAC investigation turned overt.For another corruption charge, Lee admitted that he had accepted bribes of $800,000 from the operators of a supplier of sand for reclamation works for assisting the supplier to secure purchase orders for the main reclamation works, and to assist the supplier in demanding payments from the main reclamation works contractor. Investigation revealed that upon the recommendation by Lee, purchase orders worth over $140 million were placed with the supplier during the abovementioned period.Lee also admitted that he had laundered crime proceeds totalling about $5.7 million, including the abovementioned bribes.An ICAC spokesperson noted that the corruption cases concerned the awarding of works and material supplies contracts, as well as administrative and financial matters. ICAC enquiries did not reveal any issues involving the quality of works or specifications of materials. The ICAC learned that the AAHK had conducted a comprehensive review, with no abnormalities and deficiencies regarding the quality of works identified.AAHK had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.Five co-defendants, namely former General Manager of the AAHK Yin Kek-kiong; proprietor of Carol Engineering Limited (CEL) Ng Kai-on; CEL’s former project manager Rob Liu Wai-lun and two operators of Joint Field Engineering Limited Wong Ching-ng and Wong Bun-hon, were also charged with multiple counts of bribery offences. They will appear again at the District Court on September 12 for mention. In addition, Yin Kek-kiong and sub-contractor Goldwave Steel Structure Engineering Limited’s director Alan Li Kam-on and an associate Joseph Wat Ki-cheung were charged by the ICAC in a separate case for one count of bribery offence. Their case is set for trial at the District Court on June 2, 2025.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Noelle Aileen Chit, assisted by ICAC officer Jessie Fu.An ICAC spokesperson stressed that the ICAC will continue to take stringent enforcement action against corruption so as to safeguard the probity of Hong Kong and bring offenders to justice.
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). 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 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. 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. 05
Sep 2024ICAC Three-Runway System Project’s sub-contracts bribery cases: Ex-AAHK Principal Manager admits $3.3m bribery and money-launderingFollowing enforcement actions earlier taken by the ICAC in Operation “Blizzard”, a number of persons were arrested and charged in separate cases for suspected corruption in relation to the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) of the Hong Kong International Airport. The total bribe money involved in the cases amounted to around $7.7 million, concerning works sub-contracts and materials purchase orders worth over $280 million in total. Among the persons charged by the ICAC, a former Principal Manager of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) today (September 5) admitted at the District Court that he had accepted bribes of about $3.3 million and laundered crime proceeds totalling about $5.7 million.Ricky Lee Wing-fai, 49, former Principal Manager of the AAHK, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and six counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence (commonly known as money-laundering), contrary to section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance. Another money-laundering offence against him was left on court file.Judge Mr Eddie Yip Chor-man adjourned the case to September 12 for mention. Lee was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.The aforesaid offences took place between January 2017 and August 2022. The court heard that in January 2017, Lee joined the AAHK as a Senior Project Engineer. He was promoted to Principal Manager in May 2022. At the material time, he was responsible for managing various works contracts of the 3RS Project, including those for the main reclamation and the new runway. Lee was also authorised to recommend subcontractors to contractors.Regarding one of the corruption charges, Lee admitted that he had accepted bribes totalling about $2.5 million from the proprietor of a civil engineering and foundation projects subcontractor for assisting the subcontractor to be favoured by the main reclamation works contractor of the 3RS Project, and securing a subcontract. The subcontractor had accepted payments totalling about $8.3 million in relation to the relevant subcontract.Lee was also found to have recommended the subcontractor to the main contractor of one of the new runway projects. The subcontractor was awarded subcontracts worth $28 million, which were eventually terminated by the main contractor after the ICAC investigation turned overt.For another corruption charge, Lee admitted that he had accepted bribes of $800,000 from the operators of a supplier of sand for reclamation works for assisting the supplier to secure purchase orders for the main reclamation works, and to assist the supplier in demanding payments from the main reclamation works contractor. Investigation revealed that upon the recommendation by Lee, purchase orders worth over $140 million were placed with the supplier during the abovementioned period.Lee also admitted that he had laundered crime proceeds totalling about $5.7 million, including the abovementioned bribes.An ICAC spokesperson noted that the corruption cases concerned the awarding of works and material supplies contracts, as well as administrative and financial matters. ICAC enquiries did not reveal any issues involving the quality of works or specifications of materials. The ICAC learned that the AAHK had conducted a comprehensive review, with no abnormalities and deficiencies regarding the quality of works identified.AAHK had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.Five co-defendants, namely former General Manager of the AAHK Yin Kek-kiong; proprietor of Carol Engineering Limited (CEL) Ng Kai-on; CEL’s former project manager Rob Liu Wai-lun and two operators of Joint Field Engineering Limited Wong Ching-ng and Wong Bun-hon, were also charged with multiple counts of bribery offences. They will appear again at the District Court on September 12 for mention. In addition, Yin Kek-kiong and sub-contractor Goldwave Steel Structure Engineering Limited’s director Alan Li Kam-on and an associate Joseph Wat Ki-cheung were charged by the ICAC in a separate case for one count of bribery offence. Their case is set for trial at the District Court on June 2, 2025.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Noelle Aileen Chit, assisted by ICAC officer Jessie Fu.An ICAC spokesperson stressed that the ICAC will continue to take stringent enforcement action against corruption so as to safeguard the probity of Hong Kong and bring offenders to justice.