Police Sergeant charged by ICAC admits fraud over credit union loans and illegal betting
2021-1-26
A Police Sergeant charged in an ICAC case today (January 26) admitted at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts that he had defrauded the Hong Kong Police Credit Union (HKPCU) of loans totalling over $450,000 and betted with an illegal bookmaker on local horse races.
The ICAC case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent enquiries revealed the offences.
Li Hung-fat, 51, Police Sergeant, pleaded guilty to four charges – three of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance, and one of betting with a bookmaker, contrary to Section 8 of the Gambling Ordinance. The prosecution offered no evidence to two other charges of fraud and betting with a bookmaker against Li.
Principal Magistrate Ms Bina Chainrai remanded Li in the custody of the Correctional Services Department until February 9 for sentence, pending background and community service order reports.
The illegal bookmaker concerned, Yu Chuen-kin, 72, who was also charged by the ICAC in the same case, today pleaded guilty to two counts of bookmaking, contrary to Section 7(1)(a) of the Gambling Ordinance. He was granted bail until February 16 for sentence, pending community service order and probation reports.
The court heard that Li joined the Police as a Police Constable in 1988 and was promoted to the rank of Police Sergeant in 2008. Since 1988, Li had been a member of the HKPCU which provided credit facilities to its members.
Li applied to the HKPCU for three loans of over $137,000, over $154,000 and over $160,000 in June 2016, April 2018 and June 2019 respectively. He falsely represented on the three relevant loan application forms that at that time he had not taken out loans with banks or other financial institutions.
Relying on the information provided on the three loan application forms, the HKPCU approved Li’s loan applications and granted him loans totalling over $450,000.
ICAC investigation however revealed that on each occasion when Li submitted a loan application form to the HKPCU, he owed an outstanding loan of about $820,000 or outstanding loans totalling over $1.2 million to a bank and/or two licensed money lenders.
Enquiries also revealed that on March 18, 2020, Li placed bets totalling $1,460 with Yu on local horse races. On the same day, Yu received bets totalling $9,300, including bets placed by Li and three other persons on local horse races.
On March 11, 2020, Yu also engaged in bookmaking by receiving bets totalling $4,000 from five persons, the court heard.
Police had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Peggy Leung, assisted by ICAC officer Ray Leung.
The ICAC case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent enquiries revealed the offences.
Li Hung-fat, 51, Police Sergeant, pleaded guilty to four charges – three of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance, and one of betting with a bookmaker, contrary to Section 8 of the Gambling Ordinance. The prosecution offered no evidence to two other charges of fraud and betting with a bookmaker against Li.
Principal Magistrate Ms Bina Chainrai remanded Li in the custody of the Correctional Services Department until February 9 for sentence, pending background and community service order reports.
The illegal bookmaker concerned, Yu Chuen-kin, 72, who was also charged by the ICAC in the same case, today pleaded guilty to two counts of bookmaking, contrary to Section 7(1)(a) of the Gambling Ordinance. He was granted bail until February 16 for sentence, pending community service order and probation reports.
The court heard that Li joined the Police as a Police Constable in 1988 and was promoted to the rank of Police Sergeant in 2008. Since 1988, Li had been a member of the HKPCU which provided credit facilities to its members.
Li applied to the HKPCU for three loans of over $137,000, over $154,000 and over $160,000 in June 2016, April 2018 and June 2019 respectively. He falsely represented on the three relevant loan application forms that at that time he had not taken out loans with banks or other financial institutions.
Relying on the information provided on the three loan application forms, the HKPCU approved Li’s loan applications and granted him loans totalling over $450,000.
ICAC investigation however revealed that on each occasion when Li submitted a loan application form to the HKPCU, he owed an outstanding loan of about $820,000 or outstanding loans totalling over $1.2 million to a bank and/or two licensed money lenders.
Enquiries also revealed that on March 18, 2020, Li placed bets totalling $1,460 with Yu on local horse races. On the same day, Yu received bets totalling $9,300, including bets placed by Li and three other persons on local horse races.
On March 11, 2020, Yu also engaged in bookmaking by receiving bets totalling $4,000 from five persons, the court heard.
Police had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Peggy Leung, assisted by ICAC officer Ray Leung.