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Mar 2025Twenty-two netted in ICAC operation “Arrow Shower” revealing bank staff taking bribes from intermediary over mortgage referral feesIn a law enforcement operation codenamed “Arrow Shower” mounted this month, the ICAC arrested 22 individuals, including 18 frontline bank employees who had allegedly accepted bribes totalling $2 million for assisting a mortgage loan referral intermediary to defraud banks of referrals fees in over 200 applications.The 22 arrestees were 13 men and 9 women, aged between 31 and 58. Eighteen of them were frontline staff of 10 banks, including one who had left the industry when the arrest was made. The remaining four persons were spouses and an associate of those involved in the case.The intermediary concerned is a member of an approved mortgage loan referral intermediary. It would receive referral fees upon successful referrals of clients to the banks for mortgage loan applications.ICAC enquiries revealed that certain bank employees had allegedly included referral application forms in documents prepared for mortgage loan applicants for their signing, so as to defraud the banks concerned to release referral fees to the intermediary after the loans were granted to the applicants. The investigation also revealed that the signatures in some of the referral forms were suspected to have been forged.The intermediary had allegedly offered $2 million in bribes to frontline bank employees to mislead 10 banks in over 200 property mortgage loan applications. ICAC investigation revealed that the applicants had no knowledge of the mortgage referrals.Investigation also found that the intermediary had offered bribes to individuals, including frontline bank staff, for processing certain clients’ mortgage loan applications. Such applications involved false income proof documents, while an individual had accepted bribes of over $100,000.During the operation, search warrants were executed by ICAC officers to conduct searches at over 30 premises. All arrestees have been released on ICAC bail. As the ICAC corruption enquiries are ongoing, further enforcement actions will not be ruled out.The ICAC reminds members of the public to stay vigilant when handling documents in relation to banking applications. They are urged to read the relevant documents carefully to avoid falling prey to criminals’ illicit activities.The ICAC has always attached great importance to the integrity of the banking industry. The Commission wishes to reiterate that the case only involves individual frontline bank employees, and the Hong Kong banking industry as a whole is very clean. Banking regulators such as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) have always been supportive of ICAC’s continuous efforts to fortify the integrity culture of the banking industry. Last year, the ICAC, HKMA and the Hong Kong Association of Banks jointly launched the Banking Industry Integrity Charter. The ICAC also provides integrity training for bank practitioners to deepen their understanding of relevant anti-corruption law and awareness of corruption risks.The HKMA and the relevant banks rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 07
Mar 2025Subcontractor duo admit bribery over employment of workers at Community Isolation Facility construction siteA then team leader and a then construction worker of a works subcontractor, charged by ICAC, today (March 7) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that they had solicited and accepted bribes totalling about $98,000 from four formwork workers referred by them to work at a Community Isolation Facility construction site on Lantau Island during the COVID-19 pandemic.Lui Yu-shan, 53, then team leader of Ching Hung Engineering Company Limited (Ching Hung); and Chen Qiang, 46, then construction worker of Ching Hung, pleaded guilty to three counts of agents soliciting an advantage and one count of agent accepting advantages in total, all contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi adjourned the case to March 26 for sentence, pending Lui’s background report and Chen’s community service order report. The duo were remanded in custody of the Correctional Services Department.The court heard that between March and June 2022, Ching Hung was a formworks subcontractor of the construction of a Community Isolation Facility at Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island responsible for providing construction workers. Lui was a team leader of Ching Hung tasked to refer workers to the company and to supervise them, including Chen, at the construction site.In early March 2022, four formwork workers started working at the construction site at a daily wage of $2,000 each under the supervision of Lui upon Chen’s referral. On various occasions, the two defendants solicited bribes of $500 per working day from the four workers and requested them to pay the bribes to Lui in relation to their employment.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four workers made bribe payments totalling about $98,000 to Lui after receiving wages from Ching Hung in fear of losing their jobs.Ching Hung rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Keith Yan. 04
Mar 2025Subcontractor duo implicated in CEDD project contractor’s then deputy general manager bribery case charged by ICACThe ICAC had earlier charged a then deputy general manager of a contractor of a works project in Tseung Kwan O of the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) with conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage for allegedly reaching an agreement with a subcontractor to accept a bribe of $2 million in relation to securing a subcontract of the project, which subsequently did not materialise. Two other individuals associated with the subcontractor were charged by the Commission yesterday (March 3) with bribery.In September last year, Xu Wenju, 41, then deputy general manager of the Hong Kong Representative Office, China Railway 15th Bureau Group Company Limited (CR15); and Ng Koon-shing, 61, operator of Hanki Contractors (Hong Kong) & Associates Limited (Hanki), were charged with one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Upon receipt of further legal advice from the Department of Justice, the ICAC yesterday further charged two individuals with conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage. They were Ng Kwok-hei, 74, director cum shareholder of Hanki; and Kenus Lai Wai-keung, 47, merchant. The duo were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (March 5) for mention. The prosecution will apply for consolidation of two cases and transferring the case to the District Court for plea.At the material time, Xu was the deputy general manager of the Hong Kong Representative Office of CR15 responsible for overseeing the company’s construction projects in Hong Kong. Hanki was set up by Ng Kwok-hei. Ng Koon-shing was an operator of Hanki at the material time while Lai, a merchant, was an associate of Ng Kwok-hei and Ng Koon-shing.Since May 2022, CR15 had collaborated with another construction company to jointly manage a site formation and infrastructure works project of the CEDD in Tseung Kwan O. Xu represented CR15 to join the management committee of the project to approve tenders submitted by subcontractors and handle relevant supervision matters.It is alleged that between July and November 2022, Ng Kwok-hei and Lai had conspired together with Xu and Ng Koon-shing for Xu to agree to accept from Ng Koon-shing a bribe of $2 million for assisting Hanki to secure the slope and soil nail works subcontract of the project.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four defendants had allegedly reached a bribery agreement during the period. It was also revealed that Hanki would not have been invited to bid for the works if Xu had not recommended it to the management committee of the project. During the tender exercise, Hanki had received advice and assistance from Xu. The contract was eventually not awarded to Hanki as it was not the lowest bidder.The CEDD and CR15 had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 03
Mar 2025Pending committal to High Court: Account supervisor of party products supplier charged by ICAC over $18m theft by forging signatures on chequesA then account supervisor of a party products supplier appeared in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (March 3) after being charged by the ICAC for alleged misappropriation of about $18 million of company funds by forging the signatures on almost 500 cheques. The case was adjourned, pending committal to the High Court for plea.Tam Chun-fung, 47, then account and administration supervisor of DSL Holding Limited (DSL), faces seven counts of theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.No plea was taken today. Principal Magistrate Mr Don So Man-lung adjourned the case to April 28, pending committal to the High Court for plea, and granted bail to the defendant.The ICAC investigation stemmed from a corruption complaint. At the material time, the defendant was the sole staff member of the accounting department of DSL, a party products supplier. He was responsible for preparing and safekeeping all accounting records and cheques of the company, but he was not a signatory of the bank account of DSL.The charges allege that between August 2017 and February 2024, the defendant had stolen from DSL various sums of money totalling about $18 million.ICAC enquiries revealed that the defendant had allegedly made false claims to the company that expenses were incurred for purchasing materials or settling payments with manufacturers, and forged the signatures on almost 500 cheques to withdraw about $18 million in total from the bank account of DSL.DSL rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Vincent Ching. 26
Feb 2025Seven months’ jail for site team leader of Third Runway Project charged by ICAC for accepting bribes of $160,000 from workersA then site team leaders of a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project of the Hong Kong International Airport (Third Runway Project), charged by the ICAC, was today (February 26) sentenced at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to seven months’ imprisonment for accepting bribes totalling about $160,000 from four carpenters for securing their employment.He Yuchuan, 57, then site team leader of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), earlier this month pleaded guilty to six counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He was also ordered to pay MEL a restitution of about $160,000, equivalent to the amount of bribes he received.In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi reprimanded He for soliciting bribes from hard-working workers and lowering their hard-earned rewards. While workers acceded to He’s requests due to fear of losing their jobs, the amount of bribes involved in the present case was not insignificant. The court had to impose a custodial sentence on He.Chow Kwai-fai, 50, another then MEL site team leader charged by the ICAC in the case for allegedly accepting bribes of about $44,000 from a carpenter by blackmail, earlier pleaded not guilty to one count of bribery and one count of blackmail. His case was set for trial on March 26.At the material time, MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. The duo led two teams of carpenters to work at the project’s construction site and had the authority to assign work to workers. MEL did not allow any employees to solicit or accept any advantages from other employees for assisting the latter to secure their employment with the company.The court heard that between September 2020 and January 2022, He had demanded bribes ranging from $100 to $200 per working day from four carpenters under his supervision. The four workers paid bribes to He reluctantly as they believed that they would have been terminated if they did not accede to He’s solicitation. As a result, He accepted bribes totalling about $160,000 from the four workers.The Airport Authority Hong Kong, the relevant main contractor SAPR JV and MEL rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Lawrence Wong.
Mar 2025Twenty-two netted in ICAC operation “Arrow Shower” revealing bank staff taking bribes from intermediary over mortgage referral feesIn a law enforcement operation codenamed “Arrow Shower” mounted this month, the ICAC arrested 22 individuals, including 18 frontline bank employees who had allegedly accepted bribes totalling $2 million for assisting a mortgage loan referral intermediary to defraud banks of referrals fees in over 200 applications.The 22 arrestees were 13 men and 9 women, aged between 31 and 58. Eighteen of them were frontline staff of 10 banks, including one who had left the industry when the arrest was made. The remaining four persons were spouses and an associate of those involved in the case.The intermediary concerned is a member of an approved mortgage loan referral intermediary. It would receive referral fees upon successful referrals of clients to the banks for mortgage loan applications.ICAC enquiries revealed that certain bank employees had allegedly included referral application forms in documents prepared for mortgage loan applicants for their signing, so as to defraud the banks concerned to release referral fees to the intermediary after the loans were granted to the applicants. The investigation also revealed that the signatures in some of the referral forms were suspected to have been forged.The intermediary had allegedly offered $2 million in bribes to frontline bank employees to mislead 10 banks in over 200 property mortgage loan applications. ICAC investigation revealed that the applicants had no knowledge of the mortgage referrals.Investigation also found that the intermediary had offered bribes to individuals, including frontline bank staff, for processing certain clients’ mortgage loan applications. Such applications involved false income proof documents, while an individual had accepted bribes of over $100,000.During the operation, search warrants were executed by ICAC officers to conduct searches at over 30 premises. All arrestees have been released on ICAC bail. As the ICAC corruption enquiries are ongoing, further enforcement actions will not be ruled out.The ICAC reminds members of the public to stay vigilant when handling documents in relation to banking applications. They are urged to read the relevant documents carefully to avoid falling prey to criminals’ illicit activities.The ICAC has always attached great importance to the integrity of the banking industry. The Commission wishes to reiterate that the case only involves individual frontline bank employees, and the Hong Kong banking industry as a whole is very clean. Banking regulators such as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) have always been supportive of ICAC’s continuous efforts to fortify the integrity culture of the banking industry. Last year, the ICAC, HKMA and the Hong Kong Association of Banks jointly launched the Banking Industry Integrity Charter. The ICAC also provides integrity training for bank practitioners to deepen their understanding of relevant anti-corruption law and awareness of corruption risks.The HKMA and the relevant banks rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 07
Mar 2025Subcontractor duo admit bribery over employment of workers at Community Isolation Facility construction siteA then team leader and a then construction worker of a works subcontractor, charged by ICAC, today (March 7) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that they had solicited and accepted bribes totalling about $98,000 from four formwork workers referred by them to work at a Community Isolation Facility construction site on Lantau Island during the COVID-19 pandemic.Lui Yu-shan, 53, then team leader of Ching Hung Engineering Company Limited (Ching Hung); and Chen Qiang, 46, then construction worker of Ching Hung, pleaded guilty to three counts of agents soliciting an advantage and one count of agent accepting advantages in total, all contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi adjourned the case to March 26 for sentence, pending Lui’s background report and Chen’s community service order report. The duo were remanded in custody of the Correctional Services Department.The court heard that between March and June 2022, Ching Hung was a formworks subcontractor of the construction of a Community Isolation Facility at Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island responsible for providing construction workers. Lui was a team leader of Ching Hung tasked to refer workers to the company and to supervise them, including Chen, at the construction site.In early March 2022, four formwork workers started working at the construction site at a daily wage of $2,000 each under the supervision of Lui upon Chen’s referral. On various occasions, the two defendants solicited bribes of $500 per working day from the four workers and requested them to pay the bribes to Lui in relation to their employment.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four workers made bribe payments totalling about $98,000 to Lui after receiving wages from Ching Hung in fear of losing their jobs.Ching Hung rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Keith Yan. 04
Mar 2025Subcontractor duo implicated in CEDD project contractor’s then deputy general manager bribery case charged by ICACThe ICAC had earlier charged a then deputy general manager of a contractor of a works project in Tseung Kwan O of the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) with conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage for allegedly reaching an agreement with a subcontractor to accept a bribe of $2 million in relation to securing a subcontract of the project, which subsequently did not materialise. Two other individuals associated with the subcontractor were charged by the Commission yesterday (March 3) with bribery.In September last year, Xu Wenju, 41, then deputy general manager of the Hong Kong Representative Office, China Railway 15th Bureau Group Company Limited (CR15); and Ng Koon-shing, 61, operator of Hanki Contractors (Hong Kong) & Associates Limited (Hanki), were charged with one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.Upon receipt of further legal advice from the Department of Justice, the ICAC yesterday further charged two individuals with conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage. They were Ng Kwok-hei, 74, director cum shareholder of Hanki; and Kenus Lai Wai-keung, 47, merchant. The duo were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (March 5) for mention. The prosecution will apply for consolidation of two cases and transferring the case to the District Court for plea.At the material time, Xu was the deputy general manager of the Hong Kong Representative Office of CR15 responsible for overseeing the company’s construction projects in Hong Kong. Hanki was set up by Ng Kwok-hei. Ng Koon-shing was an operator of Hanki at the material time while Lai, a merchant, was an associate of Ng Kwok-hei and Ng Koon-shing.Since May 2022, CR15 had collaborated with another construction company to jointly manage a site formation and infrastructure works project of the CEDD in Tseung Kwan O. Xu represented CR15 to join the management committee of the project to approve tenders submitted by subcontractors and handle relevant supervision matters.It is alleged that between July and November 2022, Ng Kwok-hei and Lai had conspired together with Xu and Ng Koon-shing for Xu to agree to accept from Ng Koon-shing a bribe of $2 million for assisting Hanki to secure the slope and soil nail works subcontract of the project.The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four defendants had allegedly reached a bribery agreement during the period. It was also revealed that Hanki would not have been invited to bid for the works if Xu had not recommended it to the management committee of the project. During the tender exercise, Hanki had received advice and assistance from Xu. The contract was eventually not awarded to Hanki as it was not the lowest bidder.The CEDD and CR15 had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. 03
Mar 2025Pending committal to High Court: Account supervisor of party products supplier charged by ICAC over $18m theft by forging signatures on chequesA then account supervisor of a party products supplier appeared in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (March 3) after being charged by the ICAC for alleged misappropriation of about $18 million of company funds by forging the signatures on almost 500 cheques. The case was adjourned, pending committal to the High Court for plea.Tam Chun-fung, 47, then account and administration supervisor of DSL Holding Limited (DSL), faces seven counts of theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.No plea was taken today. Principal Magistrate Mr Don So Man-lung adjourned the case to April 28, pending committal to the High Court for plea, and granted bail to the defendant.The ICAC investigation stemmed from a corruption complaint. At the material time, the defendant was the sole staff member of the accounting department of DSL, a party products supplier. He was responsible for preparing and safekeeping all accounting records and cheques of the company, but he was not a signatory of the bank account of DSL.The charges allege that between August 2017 and February 2024, the defendant had stolen from DSL various sums of money totalling about $18 million.ICAC enquiries revealed that the defendant had allegedly made false claims to the company that expenses were incurred for purchasing materials or settling payments with manufacturers, and forged the signatures on almost 500 cheques to withdraw about $18 million in total from the bank account of DSL.DSL rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Vincent Ching. 26
Feb 2025Seven months’ jail for site team leader of Third Runway Project charged by ICAC for accepting bribes of $160,000 from workersA then site team leaders of a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project of the Hong Kong International Airport (Third Runway Project), charged by the ICAC, was today (February 26) sentenced at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to seven months’ imprisonment for accepting bribes totalling about $160,000 from four carpenters for securing their employment.He Yuchuan, 57, then site team leader of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), earlier this month pleaded guilty to six counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He was also ordered to pay MEL a restitution of about $160,000, equivalent to the amount of bribes he received.In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi reprimanded He for soliciting bribes from hard-working workers and lowering their hard-earned rewards. While workers acceded to He’s requests due to fear of losing their jobs, the amount of bribes involved in the present case was not insignificant. The court had to impose a custodial sentence on He.Chow Kwai-fai, 50, another then MEL site team leader charged by the ICAC in the case for allegedly accepting bribes of about $44,000 from a carpenter by blackmail, earlier pleaded not guilty to one count of bribery and one count of blackmail. His case was set for trial on March 26.At the material time, MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. The duo led two teams of carpenters to work at the project’s construction site and had the authority to assign work to workers. MEL did not allow any employees to solicit or accept any advantages from other employees for assisting the latter to secure their employment with the company.The court heard that between September 2020 and January 2022, He had demanded bribes ranging from $100 to $200 per working day from four carpenters under his supervision. The four workers paid bribes to He reluctantly as they believed that they would have been terminated if they did not accede to He’s solicitation. As a result, He accepted bribes totalling about $160,000 from the four workers.The Airport Authority Hong Kong, the relevant main contractor SAPR JV and MEL rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Lawrence Wong.