A woman, charged by the ICAC, today (Monday) admitted at Kwun Tong Magistracy that she had deceived over $75,000 in Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) from the Social Welfare Department (SWD), and was engaged in a bogus marriage to help a Mainlander obtain the right of abode in Hong Kong.

The defendant, 50, unemployed, pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud and one of conspiracy to defraud.

Magistrate Mr Abu Bakar bin Wahab adjourned the case until next Monday (April 19) for mitigation and sentence.

The defendant was granted cash bail of $2,000. She was also ordered to surrender all travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong.

The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.

The court heard that since June 1999, the defendant had become a CSSA recipient.

In March 2006, the defendant and her then boyfriend purchased a property in Shenzhen at the price of 540,000 renminbi. They subsequently sold the property at 1,020,000 renminbi.

Between May 2006 and April 2008, social security officers of the SWD had conducted a number of reviews with the defendant.

On five occasions when the reviews were conducted, the defendant failed to disclose her ownership of the property to SWD officers.

As a result, a total of over $75,000 in CSSA was paid to the defendant.

The court also heard that in early 2004, the defendant was engaged in a bogus marriage with a Mainlander. The defendant and the Mainlander had their marriage solemnized at a marriage registry in Hong Kong.

As a result, the Immigration Department was deceived into certifying the marriage which would enable the Mainlander to apply for the right of abode in Hong Kong. The Mainlander however had never made such application to the Immigration Department.

In April 2009, the defendant divorced the Mainlander.

After being arrested by ICAC officers, the defendant admitted that she had received from the Mainlander $20,000, being the initial payment out of the $35,000 that the Mainlander promised to pay her for the false marriage scam, the court was told.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Esther Poon.