Ex-Clinical Psychologist of SWD charged by ICAC gets 30 months’ jail for $4.77m bank loans fraud
2023-8-28
A then Clinical Psychologist of the Social Welfare Department (SWD), charged by the ICAC, was today (August 28) sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment at the District Court after admitting fraud by making false representations to two banks over mortgage and personal loans totalling about $4.77 million. The defendant and her husband, who was a Senior Building Services Engineer of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), were also charged in a separate case with offences of maintaining a living standard above the official emoluments, bribery, misconduct in public office (MIPO) and money laundering.
Ng Wai-shan, 51, former Clinical Psychologist of the SWD, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Another similar charge against her was left on file at the District Court.
In sentencing, Judge Mr Ernest Lin Kam-hung reprimanded the defendant for abusing the banking system, adding that the offences committed by the defendant were serious in nature as she premeditatedly defrauded the banks of considerable amount of loans in a few years by using shell companies and false documents.
The Judge took a starting point of 48 months’ imprisonment and reduced the jail term to 30 months, having considered the defendant’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
The judge also approved the prosecution’s application and ordered to confiscate crime proceeds of over $238,000 from Ng, which was the benefit derived from the mortgage loan concerned.
The court heard that in November 2016, Ng applied to Dah Sing Bank, Limited (Dah Sing Bank) for a mortgage loan by re-financing a property she owned in Kowloon Bay, and subsequently applied with the bank for a personal loan in June 2017. Loans of about $2.58 million and $1 million were respectively released to her.
Ng stated on the application forms that the property was self-occupied, and that she was a Clinical Psychologist of the SWD employed by a trading company as a sales manager at a monthly salary of $100,000 at the same time. The relevant employment contract and salary statements were also attached to support her applications.
When Ng applied for another personal loan with The Bank of East Asia, Limited (BEA) in July 2018, she claimed to be employed as a counsellor by a psychological consulting firm, earning a monthly income of about $320,000, and attached the relevant bank statements in her application. BEA subsequently approved her application and released a personal loan of about $1.19 million to her.
The ICAC enquiries revealed that the trading company and the psychological consulting firm were respectively set up by Ng and her mother. At the material time, Ng was only approved by the SWD to engage in outside work with the trading company at a monthly income of $2,000. In fact, she had never received any salary from the two companies.
The investigation also revealed that when Ng applied for the mortgage loan with Dah Sing Bank, the property in Kowloon Bay was leased to a tenant rather than being occupied by her.
Had Dah Sing Bank and BEA known that the information and documents submitted by Ng contained false information, the two banks would not have approved and released to her the three loans totalling about $4.77 million.
The SWD, Dah Sing Bank and BEA had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Public Prosecutors Timothy Chen and Matthew Hui, assisted by ICAC officer Clarence Mok.
Arising from the same investigation, the ICAC had earlier charged Ng, her husband Zsa Sing-tak, Senior Building Services Engineer of the EMSD, and Chan Tsz-wing, subcontractor of the EMSD, in a separate case involving minor works contracts worth about $91.4 million of the EMSD. The trio were charged with offences including maintaining a living standard above the official emoluments, bribery, MIPO and money laundering. The case is pending committal to the High Court.
The ICAC has been working closely with government departments, through education and publicity, to remind civil servants to uphold honesty and integrity, abide by the law and regulations at all times, and maintain the good reputation of the civil service.
Ng Wai-shan, 51, former Clinical Psychologist of the SWD, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Another similar charge against her was left on file at the District Court.
In sentencing, Judge Mr Ernest Lin Kam-hung reprimanded the defendant for abusing the banking system, adding that the offences committed by the defendant were serious in nature as she premeditatedly defrauded the banks of considerable amount of loans in a few years by using shell companies and false documents.
The Judge took a starting point of 48 months’ imprisonment and reduced the jail term to 30 months, having considered the defendant’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
The judge also approved the prosecution’s application and ordered to confiscate crime proceeds of over $238,000 from Ng, which was the benefit derived from the mortgage loan concerned.
The court heard that in November 2016, Ng applied to Dah Sing Bank, Limited (Dah Sing Bank) for a mortgage loan by re-financing a property she owned in Kowloon Bay, and subsequently applied with the bank for a personal loan in June 2017. Loans of about $2.58 million and $1 million were respectively released to her.
Ng stated on the application forms that the property was self-occupied, and that she was a Clinical Psychologist of the SWD employed by a trading company as a sales manager at a monthly salary of $100,000 at the same time. The relevant employment contract and salary statements were also attached to support her applications.
When Ng applied for another personal loan with The Bank of East Asia, Limited (BEA) in July 2018, she claimed to be employed as a counsellor by a psychological consulting firm, earning a monthly income of about $320,000, and attached the relevant bank statements in her application. BEA subsequently approved her application and released a personal loan of about $1.19 million to her.
The ICAC enquiries revealed that the trading company and the psychological consulting firm were respectively set up by Ng and her mother. At the material time, Ng was only approved by the SWD to engage in outside work with the trading company at a monthly income of $2,000. In fact, she had never received any salary from the two companies.
The investigation also revealed that when Ng applied for the mortgage loan with Dah Sing Bank, the property in Kowloon Bay was leased to a tenant rather than being occupied by her.
Had Dah Sing Bank and BEA known that the information and documents submitted by Ng contained false information, the two banks would not have approved and released to her the three loans totalling about $4.77 million.
The SWD, Dah Sing Bank and BEA had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Public Prosecutors Timothy Chen and Matthew Hui, assisted by ICAC officer Clarence Mok.
Arising from the same investigation, the ICAC had earlier charged Ng, her husband Zsa Sing-tak, Senior Building Services Engineer of the EMSD, and Chan Tsz-wing, subcontractor of the EMSD, in a separate case involving minor works contracts worth about $91.4 million of the EMSD. The trio were charged with offences including maintaining a living standard above the official emoluments, bribery, MIPO and money laundering. The case is pending committal to the High Court.
The ICAC has been working closely with government departments, through education and publicity, to remind civil servants to uphold honesty and integrity, abide by the law and regulations at all times, and maintain the good reputation of the civil service.