Jail sentences for defrauding Jockey Club
2000-1-10
Two former employees of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and two women today (Monday) received jail sentences for conspiracy to defraud HKJC over video production fees and misappropriation of Club funds.
The four defendants are Man Doh-ming, 47, and Lau Kwok-keung, 35, respectively former Video Production Manager and former Senior Audio & Visual Producer of the Audio & Visual Department of HKJC; Chau Shuk-yee, 35, freelance script writer and Yeung Wai-fon g, 31, Assistant General Manager of Cinerent Ltd. (Cinerent).
Man, Lau and Chau were earlier found guilty on one count of conspiracy to defraud HKJC by dishonestly representing that the script writing services rendered by Chau cost $15,000. The offence took place between January and December 1996.
Man, Lau and Yeung were convicted of conspiracy to defraud HKJC in June 1996 by falsely claiming that a sum of $5,910 would be applied for renting equipment from Cinerent.
Man and Lau were today each meted a six-month jail term; while Chau and Yeung were each sentenced to three months' imprisonment, suspended for one year. The defendants were each ordered to pay $5,000 in court costs.
The court heard that the AV Department of HKJC was assigned to produce a promotional film for the Telebet Department in early 1996. Out of the $30,000-budget, $15,000 was earmarked for paying the script writer.
Man, Lau and Chau agreed to inflate the script writing fee by about $6,000. The surplus was pocketed by Man and Lau who promised to give Chau $1,500 as compensation for her income tax return arising from the job.
Meanwhile, Man and Lau were also assigned to produce a recruitment film for HKJC's Personnel Department on a budget of $20,000 in early 1996.
They had fraudulently used the $5,910 left over from the production fee to purchase video equipment from Cinerent.
In order to cover up the misappropriation of Jockey Club funds, Yeung prepared false rental documents and invoices purported to show that HKJC had rented equipment from Cinerent.
The ICAC launched the investigation after receiving corruption allegations that Man and Lau had accepted bribes in return for awarding job orders of HKJC. The corruption allegations were found to be unsubstantiated.
HKJC has rendered full assistance to the ICAC's investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Flora Cheng on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Lawrence Mui.
The four defendants are Man Doh-ming, 47, and Lau Kwok-keung, 35, respectively former Video Production Manager and former Senior Audio & Visual Producer of the Audio & Visual Department of HKJC; Chau Shuk-yee, 35, freelance script writer and Yeung Wai-fon g, 31, Assistant General Manager of Cinerent Ltd. (Cinerent).
Man, Lau and Chau were earlier found guilty on one count of conspiracy to defraud HKJC by dishonestly representing that the script writing services rendered by Chau cost $15,000. The offence took place between January and December 1996.
Man, Lau and Yeung were convicted of conspiracy to defraud HKJC in June 1996 by falsely claiming that a sum of $5,910 would be applied for renting equipment from Cinerent.
Man and Lau were today each meted a six-month jail term; while Chau and Yeung were each sentenced to three months' imprisonment, suspended for one year. The defendants were each ordered to pay $5,000 in court costs.
The court heard that the AV Department of HKJC was assigned to produce a promotional film for the Telebet Department in early 1996. Out of the $30,000-budget, $15,000 was earmarked for paying the script writer.
Man, Lau and Chau agreed to inflate the script writing fee by about $6,000. The surplus was pocketed by Man and Lau who promised to give Chau $1,500 as compensation for her income tax return arising from the job.
Meanwhile, Man and Lau were also assigned to produce a recruitment film for HKJC's Personnel Department on a budget of $20,000 in early 1996.
They had fraudulently used the $5,910 left over from the production fee to purchase video equipment from Cinerent.
In order to cover up the misappropriation of Jockey Club funds, Yeung prepared false rental documents and invoices purported to show that HKJC had rented equipment from Cinerent.
The ICAC launched the investigation after receiving corruption allegations that Man and Lau had accepted bribes in return for awarding job orders of HKJC. The corruption allegations were found to be unsubstantiated.
HKJC has rendered full assistance to the ICAC's investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Flora Cheng on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Lawrence Mui.