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Jul 2025Consultancy employee charged by ICAC admits accepting bribes over $25m renovation projects of two Japanese chain storesAn employee of a design consultancy, charged by the ICAC, today (July 7) admitted at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts that she had accepted bribes of over $230,000 for assisting two works contractors to secure two renovation projects of two Japanese chain stores involving project fees totalling over $25 million.Pian Pang Ka-shin, 41, then marketing executive of K&C Creation Limited (KCL), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to sections 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Magistrate Mr Philip Chan Chee-fai adjourned the case to July 21 for sentence, pending the defendant’s background report, and granted her bail.The court heard that KCL was a design consultancy. In 2019, it was awarded two renovation projects respectively concerning a branch of drugstore chain “Tokyo Lifestyle” in Kowloon and the store of supermarket chain “Donki Japan” in Macao.At the material time, Pang was a marketing executive of KCL responsible for co-ordinating contractors and arranging tender exercises. For the two renovation projects concerned, she was responsible for submitting quotations and tenders to KCL or Donki for selection.Pang admitted that between June 2019 and January 2022, she had accepted bribes of over $230,000 from three representatives from two works contractors, namely RNK Design and Engineering Company Limited (RNK) and Flaming Engineering Company Limited (FEL), for assisting the trio to secure the renovation projects of “Tokyo Lifestyle” and Donki.KCL received two quotations from renovation companies in relation to the renovation project of “Tokyo Lifestyle”. KCL awarded relevant works to RNK base on the recommendation of Pang and paid project fee of $1.7 million to RNK after completion of the works.Also being assigned by KCL to assist Donki in arranging a tender exercise, Pang submitted five tenders for Donki’s selection. Donki eventually awarded the project to FEL and settled project fees totalling over $23.4 million with FEL after the project was completed. Pang admitted that she had given advice to the FEL representative on the relevant tender interview.RNK and Donki rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.Three co-defendants in the present case, namely Li Po-wa, director cum shareholder of RNK, Pang Wai-yin, former site supervisor of RNK, Yung Chor-chi, operator of FEL, today pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts. Their case was scheduled for a pre-trial review on November 27.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Hayden Lau. 04
Jul 2025Couple charged by ICAC guilty of $9.6m private residential project subcontractor worker wage fraudA couple from a subcontractor of a construction project in Mid-Levels, charged by the ICAC, were today (July 4) convicted at the District Court of fraud for swindling the project contractor out of almost $9.6 million by falsifying and overstating the wages of workers.The defendants, Hon Sang, 53, company secretary of Honsang Company Limited (Honsang); and his wife Ada Law Yin-nei, 48, sole director-cum-shareholder of Honsang, were convicted after trial of two counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.Deputy Judge Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case to July 18 for mitigation, pending background reports of the two defendants. Hon was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department while Law was granted bail.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint in connection with wage release to workers by Honsang. At the material time, Honsang was a subcontractor of aluminium and glass related works of a private residential construction project on Borrett Road in Mid-Levels. Honsang was required to submit wage payments related documents, including copies of cheques issued to workers and the relevant receipts, to a contractor of the project – CR Construction Company Limited (CR Construction) – for reimbursing expenses on an accountable basis.The court heard that between September 2018 and April 2019, CR Construction received from Honsang photocopies of over 1,200 cheques and relevant receipts, purporting that wages totalling about $30 million were paid to workers. CR Construction consequently settled the whole sum of payment with Honsang.The ICAC investigation revealed that the payees and the payable amounts in 43 of the cheques, involving a sum of around $9.3 million, were falsified and deposited into bank accounts of the Hon couple and other individuals.Since Honsang had failed to pay wages to workers on time, CR Construction subsequently made direct payments to workers. Between May and August 2019, the Hon couple had overstated the wages of over 10 workers, causing CR Construction to overpay those workers by almost $300,000. They had also instructed workers to return the wages overpaid by CR Construction to Honsang.CR Construction rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Susanna Ku, assisted by ICAC officer Andy Yip. 03
Jul 2025Team leader of subcontractor of North District Community Health Centre among trio charged by ICAC for accepting $300,000 bribes from workersA team leader and two workers of an air-conditioning subcontractor of a government development project of North District Community Health Centre were charged by the ICAC today (July 3) for allegedly accepting bribes totalling over $300,000 from workers referred by them.Yung Sung-kwan, 62, former team leader of Datatech Enterprises Limited (Datatech); and two former workers of Datatech, Ho Hon-kei and Tse Shu-hong, respectively 54 and 65, face three counts of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage in total, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Yung also faces two counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of POBO.The trio were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (July 7) for plea.At the material time, i.e. between December 2022 and February 2024, Datatech was a subcontractor responsible for air-conditioning and refrigeration system installation of the development project of North District Community Health Centre cum Social Welfare Facilities of the Hospital Authority (HA). Yung, a site team leader employed by Datatech, was responsible for supervising and recruiting workers for the site. As stipulated in the employment contract, the daily wage of a worker was $2,000. Datatech prohibited its staff to solicit or accept advantages from others in relation to its business.Three of the charges allege that Yung had conspired with Ho and Tse respectively to accept bribes ranging from $600 to $1,000 per working day from five workers. Ho was one of the workers paying bribes to Yung.Two remaining charges allege that Yung had accepted bribes of $1,800 and $8,500 from two other workers.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that three defendants had allegedly accepted bribes totalling over $300,000 from seven workers for assisting them to secure their employment with Datatech. Some of the workers paid bribes for fear of losing their jobs.HA and Datatech rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 03
Jul 2025Eighteen months’ jail for operations director of newspaper’s advertising department for soliciting bribes from subordinatesA former director of operations of the advertising department of a newspaper company, charged by the ICAC, was today (July 3) sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment at the District Court for soliciting bribes from four subordinates and accepting about $88,000 in total from two of them after their receipt of commissions from the company, while the two subordinates were handed suspended sentences.Daniel Wu Hang-chi, also known as Wu Che-hang, 44, former director of operations of the advertising department of Hong Kong Commercial Daily (HKCD), was earlier convicted of eight charges after trial – three of conspiracy for an agent to solicit an advantage and five of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. He was today sentenced to 18 month’s imprisonment and ordered to pay HKCD restitution of about $88,000, equivalent to the amount of bribes he received in the present case.Two subordinates of Wu, Lee Kwok-wai, 51, and Ngo Kam-fai, 45, respectively former and serving business representatives of the advertising department of HKCD, earlier pleaded guilty to six charges – five of offering an advantage to an agent and one of conspiracy for an agent to solicit an advantage, contrary to sections 9(1)(a) and 9(2)(a) of the POBO and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Lee was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, while Ng was jailed for two months, suspended for one year.In sentencing, Judge Mr Clement Lee Hing-nin reprimanded Wu for abusing his position to exploit his subordinates by soliciting bribes from them over a span of two years, which had undermined the reputation of his employer and the morale of his subordinates. His corrupt practice would have persisted if it had not been reported.The judge took a starting point of 21 months’ imprisonment and reduced Wu’s jail term by three months, having considered his mitigating factors. Suspended sentences were imposed on the two co-defendants after considering various mitigating factors, including their guilty pleas and assistance rendered to the prosecution, which had led to the conviction of their supervisor for corruption.Between September 2019 and February 2022, Wu was the director of operations of HKCD’s advertising department. He was responsible for overseeing the operations of the department, supervising business representatives, including Lee and Ngo, and assisting his subordinates to secure event sponsorships. Business representatives were entitled to 10 per cent of the sponsorships they secured for HKCD’s events as commissions, and they were required to submit to HKCD relevant documents via Wu for the calculation and release of the commissions.Wu would receive bonuses after each event or at the end of each year, subject to the profits made, but he was not entitled to share the commissions of his subordinates. Meanwhile, HKCD did not allow its staff to solicit or accept any advantage in relation to its business.The court heard that at the material time, Lee, Ngo and two other business representatives, who were responsible for sourcing sponsorships for four events organised by HKCD, had secured various sponsorships totalling about $3.8 million. They subsequently received commissions totalling about $380,000 released by HKCD.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that Wu accompanied Lee, Ngo and the two other business representatives to meet various sponsors on his own accord and solicited bribes from them for his assistance in securing those event sponsorships. The bribes solicited by Wu ranged from 30 to 50 per cent of the commissions payable to each of the four subordinates in relation to the events.Upon Wu’s request, Lee offered four bribes totalling about $83,000, and Ngo a bribe of $5,000, to Wu. The two other business representatives turned down Wu’s solicitation.HKCD 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 Ricky Tsui. 02
Jul 2025Frozen meat supplier’s employee charged by ICAC gets three years’ jail for $5.2m goods fraud by concealing conflicting interestA former senior sales executive of a frozen meat supplier, charged by the ICAC, was today (July 2) sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at the District Court after admitting that he had deceived his then employer into supplying over $5.2 million worth of goods to a food supplier operated by him by deliberately concealing his conflicting interest, but he had only settled payment of about $100,000.Cheng Ming-lim, 49, former senior sales executive of H.R. Woodward Food Service Co., Limited (H.R. Woodward), received a jail term of three years today after pleading guilty to one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.In sentencing, Deputy District Judge Miss Ivy Chui Yee-mei noted that the defendant had abused his position for personal gain, which involved a considerable sum of money, constituting a serious breach of trust. Although the defendant’s employer had reminded its staff to declare conflicting interest from time to time, he deliberately concealed his personal food supplier business. The court took a starting point of four and a half years’ imprisonment, and reduced the jail term to three years, having considered his guilty plea and other mitigating factors.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. The ICAC also provides integrity training for catering practitioners and corruption prevention materials for enhancing staff integrity of the industry. For more information about the corruption prevention resources, please visit the webpage of Hong Kong Business Ethics Development Centre.The court heard that in late October 2020, the defendant joined H.R. Woodward, a frozen meat supplier. He was responsible for sourcing customers and processing purchase orders placed by customers, and had the discretion to set prices for purchase orders and payment terms. The defendant introduced Andreessen Food Service Company Limited (Andreessen), a food supplier, as its customer afterwards and handled the purchase orders placed by the latter personally.Between July and December 2021, Andreessen placed various purchase orders with H.R. Woodward in the total sum of over $5.2 million.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that Andreessen was set up long before the defendant joined H.R. Woodward. The defendant was all along responsible for the operation of Andreessen, while his wife and mother were respectively the sole shareholder-cum-director and secretary of the company.Staff members of H.R. Woodward were not allowed to operate companies or to be employed by companies, including food or catering-related ones, which ran the same business as H.R. Woodward or were in competition with its business. However, the defendant had never declared his operation of Andreessen and had deliberately concealed his conflicting interest from H.R. Woodward when he handled Andreesen’s purchase orders in the capacity of an employee of H.R. Woodward with a view to deceive H.R. Woodward into selling goods to Andreesen.The court also heard that Andreesen only managed to settle payments of about $100,000 out of the over $5.2 million worth of goods purchased from H.R. Woodward. Andreesen eventually returned some of the products for payment settling, but it still owed H.R. Woodward an outstanding amount of over $2.7 million.H.R. Woodward rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Jason Lau, assisted by ICAC officer Chacha Chan.
Jul 2025Consultancy employee charged by ICAC admits accepting bribes over $25m renovation projects of two Japanese chain storesAn employee of a design consultancy, charged by the ICAC, today (July 7) admitted at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts that she had accepted bribes of over $230,000 for assisting two works contractors to secure two renovation projects of two Japanese chain stores involving project fees totalling over $25 million.Pian Pang Ka-shin, 41, then marketing executive of K&C Creation Limited (KCL), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to sections 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Magistrate Mr Philip Chan Chee-fai adjourned the case to July 21 for sentence, pending the defendant’s background report, and granted her bail.The court heard that KCL was a design consultancy. In 2019, it was awarded two renovation projects respectively concerning a branch of drugstore chain “Tokyo Lifestyle” in Kowloon and the store of supermarket chain “Donki Japan” in Macao.At the material time, Pang was a marketing executive of KCL responsible for co-ordinating contractors and arranging tender exercises. For the two renovation projects concerned, she was responsible for submitting quotations and tenders to KCL or Donki for selection.Pang admitted that between June 2019 and January 2022, she had accepted bribes of over $230,000 from three representatives from two works contractors, namely RNK Design and Engineering Company Limited (RNK) and Flaming Engineering Company Limited (FEL), for assisting the trio to secure the renovation projects of “Tokyo Lifestyle” and Donki.KCL received two quotations from renovation companies in relation to the renovation project of “Tokyo Lifestyle”. KCL awarded relevant works to RNK base on the recommendation of Pang and paid project fee of $1.7 million to RNK after completion of the works.Also being assigned by KCL to assist Donki in arranging a tender exercise, Pang submitted five tenders for Donki’s selection. Donki eventually awarded the project to FEL and settled project fees totalling over $23.4 million with FEL after the project was completed. Pang admitted that she had given advice to the FEL representative on the relevant tender interview.RNK and Donki rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.Three co-defendants in the present case, namely Li Po-wa, director cum shareholder of RNK, Pang Wai-yin, former site supervisor of RNK, Yung Chor-chi, operator of FEL, today pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts. Their case was scheduled for a pre-trial review on November 27.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Hayden Lau. 04
Jul 2025Couple charged by ICAC guilty of $9.6m private residential project subcontractor worker wage fraudA couple from a subcontractor of a construction project in Mid-Levels, charged by the ICAC, were today (July 4) convicted at the District Court of fraud for swindling the project contractor out of almost $9.6 million by falsifying and overstating the wages of workers.The defendants, Hon Sang, 53, company secretary of Honsang Company Limited (Honsang); and his wife Ada Law Yin-nei, 48, sole director-cum-shareholder of Honsang, were convicted after trial of two counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.Deputy Judge Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case to July 18 for mitigation, pending background reports of the two defendants. Hon was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department while Law was granted bail.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint in connection with wage release to workers by Honsang. At the material time, Honsang was a subcontractor of aluminium and glass related works of a private residential construction project on Borrett Road in Mid-Levels. Honsang was required to submit wage payments related documents, including copies of cheques issued to workers and the relevant receipts, to a contractor of the project – CR Construction Company Limited (CR Construction) – for reimbursing expenses on an accountable basis.The court heard that between September 2018 and April 2019, CR Construction received from Honsang photocopies of over 1,200 cheques and relevant receipts, purporting that wages totalling about $30 million were paid to workers. CR Construction consequently settled the whole sum of payment with Honsang.The ICAC investigation revealed that the payees and the payable amounts in 43 of the cheques, involving a sum of around $9.3 million, were falsified and deposited into bank accounts of the Hon couple and other individuals.Since Honsang had failed to pay wages to workers on time, CR Construction subsequently made direct payments to workers. Between May and August 2019, the Hon couple had overstated the wages of over 10 workers, causing CR Construction to overpay those workers by almost $300,000. They had also instructed workers to return the wages overpaid by CR Construction to Honsang.CR Construction rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Susanna Ku, assisted by ICAC officer Andy Yip. 03
Jul 2025Team leader of subcontractor of North District Community Health Centre among trio charged by ICAC for accepting $300,000 bribes from workersA team leader and two workers of an air-conditioning subcontractor of a government development project of North District Community Health Centre were charged by the ICAC today (July 3) for allegedly accepting bribes totalling over $300,000 from workers referred by them.Yung Sung-kwan, 62, former team leader of Datatech Enterprises Limited (Datatech); and two former workers of Datatech, Ho Hon-kei and Tse Shu-hong, respectively 54 and 65, face three counts of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage in total, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Yung also faces two counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of POBO.The trio were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (July 7) for plea.At the material time, i.e. between December 2022 and February 2024, Datatech was a subcontractor responsible for air-conditioning and refrigeration system installation of the development project of North District Community Health Centre cum Social Welfare Facilities of the Hospital Authority (HA). Yung, a site team leader employed by Datatech, was responsible for supervising and recruiting workers for the site. As stipulated in the employment contract, the daily wage of a worker was $2,000. Datatech prohibited its staff to solicit or accept advantages from others in relation to its business.Three of the charges allege that Yung had conspired with Ho and Tse respectively to accept bribes ranging from $600 to $1,000 per working day from five workers. Ho was one of the workers paying bribes to Yung.Two remaining charges allege that Yung had accepted bribes of $1,800 and $8,500 from two other workers.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that three defendants had allegedly accepted bribes totalling over $300,000 from seven workers for assisting them to secure their employment with Datatech. Some of the workers paid bribes for fear of losing their jobs.HA and Datatech rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 03
Jul 2025Eighteen months’ jail for operations director of newspaper’s advertising department for soliciting bribes from subordinatesA former director of operations of the advertising department of a newspaper company, charged by the ICAC, was today (July 3) sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment at the District Court for soliciting bribes from four subordinates and accepting about $88,000 in total from two of them after their receipt of commissions from the company, while the two subordinates were handed suspended sentences.Daniel Wu Hang-chi, also known as Wu Che-hang, 44, former director of operations of the advertising department of Hong Kong Commercial Daily (HKCD), was earlier convicted of eight charges after trial – three of conspiracy for an agent to solicit an advantage and five of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. He was today sentenced to 18 month’s imprisonment and ordered to pay HKCD restitution of about $88,000, equivalent to the amount of bribes he received in the present case.Two subordinates of Wu, Lee Kwok-wai, 51, and Ngo Kam-fai, 45, respectively former and serving business representatives of the advertising department of HKCD, earlier pleaded guilty to six charges – five of offering an advantage to an agent and one of conspiracy for an agent to solicit an advantage, contrary to sections 9(1)(a) and 9(2)(a) of the POBO and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Lee was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, while Ng was jailed for two months, suspended for one year.In sentencing, Judge Mr Clement Lee Hing-nin reprimanded Wu for abusing his position to exploit his subordinates by soliciting bribes from them over a span of two years, which had undermined the reputation of his employer and the morale of his subordinates. His corrupt practice would have persisted if it had not been reported.The judge took a starting point of 21 months’ imprisonment and reduced Wu’s jail term by three months, having considered his mitigating factors. Suspended sentences were imposed on the two co-defendants after considering various mitigating factors, including their guilty pleas and assistance rendered to the prosecution, which had led to the conviction of their supervisor for corruption.Between September 2019 and February 2022, Wu was the director of operations of HKCD’s advertising department. He was responsible for overseeing the operations of the department, supervising business representatives, including Lee and Ngo, and assisting his subordinates to secure event sponsorships. Business representatives were entitled to 10 per cent of the sponsorships they secured for HKCD’s events as commissions, and they were required to submit to HKCD relevant documents via Wu for the calculation and release of the commissions.Wu would receive bonuses after each event or at the end of each year, subject to the profits made, but he was not entitled to share the commissions of his subordinates. Meanwhile, HKCD did not allow its staff to solicit or accept any advantage in relation to its business.The court heard that at the material time, Lee, Ngo and two other business representatives, who were responsible for sourcing sponsorships for four events organised by HKCD, had secured various sponsorships totalling about $3.8 million. They subsequently received commissions totalling about $380,000 released by HKCD.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that Wu accompanied Lee, Ngo and the two other business representatives to meet various sponsors on his own accord and solicited bribes from them for his assistance in securing those event sponsorships. The bribes solicited by Wu ranged from 30 to 50 per cent of the commissions payable to each of the four subordinates in relation to the events.Upon Wu’s request, Lee offered four bribes totalling about $83,000, and Ngo a bribe of $5,000, to Wu. The two other business representatives turned down Wu’s solicitation.HKCD 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 Ricky Tsui. 02
Jul 2025Frozen meat supplier’s employee charged by ICAC gets three years’ jail for $5.2m goods fraud by concealing conflicting interestA former senior sales executive of a frozen meat supplier, charged by the ICAC, was today (July 2) sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at the District Court after admitting that he had deceived his then employer into supplying over $5.2 million worth of goods to a food supplier operated by him by deliberately concealing his conflicting interest, but he had only settled payment of about $100,000.Cheng Ming-lim, 49, former senior sales executive of H.R. Woodward Food Service Co., Limited (H.R. Woodward), received a jail term of three years today after pleading guilty to one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.In sentencing, Deputy District Judge Miss Ivy Chui Yee-mei noted that the defendant had abused his position for personal gain, which involved a considerable sum of money, constituting a serious breach of trust. Although the defendant’s employer had reminded its staff to declare conflicting interest from time to time, he deliberately concealed his personal food supplier business. The court took a starting point of four and a half years’ imprisonment, and reduced the jail term to three years, having considered his guilty plea and other mitigating factors.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. The ICAC also provides integrity training for catering practitioners and corruption prevention materials for enhancing staff integrity of the industry. For more information about the corruption prevention resources, please visit the webpage of Hong Kong Business Ethics Development Centre.The court heard that in late October 2020, the defendant joined H.R. Woodward, a frozen meat supplier. He was responsible for sourcing customers and processing purchase orders placed by customers, and had the discretion to set prices for purchase orders and payment terms. The defendant introduced Andreessen Food Service Company Limited (Andreessen), a food supplier, as its customer afterwards and handled the purchase orders placed by the latter personally.Between July and December 2021, Andreessen placed various purchase orders with H.R. Woodward in the total sum of over $5.2 million.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that Andreessen was set up long before the defendant joined H.R. Woodward. The defendant was all along responsible for the operation of Andreessen, while his wife and mother were respectively the sole shareholder-cum-director and secretary of the company.Staff members of H.R. Woodward were not allowed to operate companies or to be employed by companies, including food or catering-related ones, which ran the same business as H.R. Woodward or were in competition with its business. However, the defendant had never declared his operation of Andreessen and had deliberately concealed his conflicting interest from H.R. Woodward when he handled Andreesen’s purchase orders in the capacity of an employee of H.R. Woodward with a view to deceive H.R. Woodward into selling goods to Andreesen.The court also heard that Andreesen only managed to settle payments of about $100,000 out of the over $5.2 million worth of goods purchased from H.R. Woodward. Andreesen eventually returned some of the products for payment settling, but it still owed H.R. Woodward an outstanding amount of over $2.7 million.H.R. Woodward rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Jason Lau, assisted by ICAC officer Chacha Chan.