Woman jailed for conspiracy to commit money laundering revealed in ICAC probe into impersonation phone scam
2023-4-14
Following the receipt of a complaint alleging impersonation of ICAC officers in phone scams, the Commission concluded an investigation and revealed that a woman had visited Hong Kong upon a friend’s request to open bank accounts, which were subsequently used by scammers to collect money from victims by falsely claiming that they were held by ICAC officers. The woman was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts today (April 14).
Hu Qingzhu, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to deal with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Ms Peony Wong Nga-yan said the offence committed by the defendant was serious in nature as it involved cross-border element and making false representations to a bank. The court had to mete out a deterrent sentence to safeguard Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. Having considered the defendant’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors, including her ill health, her jail term was reduced to five months from a starting point of nine months’ imprisonment.
The ICAC had recently charged three people for their participation in money laundering activities in phone scams involving impersonation of ICAC officers. They were sentenced to jail terms ranging from four to 12 months after entering guilty pleas. An ICAC spokesperson stresses that the Commission would not request members of the public to remit or deposit any money to designated bank accounts for asset clearance or investigation. Should members of the public receive any transfer or deposit requests made by people claimed to be ICAC officers, they are urged not to follow such instructions and report the matter to the ICAC at its hotline: 25 266 366.
The court heard that between November 2018 and March 2019, the defendant conspired with others to handle various sums of Hong Kong dollar and United States dollar, totalling about HK$600,000, in her bank accounts at Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK).
The investigation arose from a complaint filed with the Commission alleging impersonation of ICAC officers in phone scams. It was revealed that in November 2018, the defendant visited Hong Kong to open three bank accounts at BOCHK upon the request of a friend she came to know through a social media online platform, and let others operate them. During the account opening process, she also made false representations about her educational level and employment status.
Enquiries also revealed that scammers falsely claimed that the bank accounts were held by an ICAC officer and requested phone scam victims to deposit money into them for asset clearance or investigation.
BOCHK had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was represented by ICAC officer Dickson Liang.
Hu Qingzhu, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to deal with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Ms Peony Wong Nga-yan said the offence committed by the defendant was serious in nature as it involved cross-border element and making false representations to a bank. The court had to mete out a deterrent sentence to safeguard Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. Having considered the defendant’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors, including her ill health, her jail term was reduced to five months from a starting point of nine months’ imprisonment.
The ICAC had recently charged three people for their participation in money laundering activities in phone scams involving impersonation of ICAC officers. They were sentenced to jail terms ranging from four to 12 months after entering guilty pleas. An ICAC spokesperson stresses that the Commission would not request members of the public to remit or deposit any money to designated bank accounts for asset clearance or investigation. Should members of the public receive any transfer or deposit requests made by people claimed to be ICAC officers, they are urged not to follow such instructions and report the matter to the ICAC at its hotline: 25 266 366.
The court heard that between November 2018 and March 2019, the defendant conspired with others to handle various sums of Hong Kong dollar and United States dollar, totalling about HK$600,000, in her bank accounts at Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK).
The investigation arose from a complaint filed with the Commission alleging impersonation of ICAC officers in phone scams. It was revealed that in November 2018, the defendant visited Hong Kong to open three bank accounts at BOCHK upon the request of a friend she came to know through a social media online platform, and let others operate them. During the account opening process, she also made false representations about her educational level and employment status.
Enquiries also revealed that scammers falsely claimed that the bank accounts were held by an ICAC officer and requested phone scam victims to deposit money into them for asset clearance or investigation.
BOCHK had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was represented by ICAC officer Dickson Liang.