Prison terms for HD staff for involvement in credit card fraud
2000-3-31
Prison sentences were meted out for two employees of the Housing Department (HD) and two other men today (Friday) for their roles in a fraudulent scheme to obtain merchandise with counterfeit credit cards.
Workman I of HD Tsang Cheung-ming, 40 and Estate Assistant of HD Liu Ho-wah, 44, were respectively jailed for seven months and four months, suspended for 18 months. Driver Pui Kam-fai, 29 and unemployed man Ng Wai-kei, 28, were jailed for 18 months and 2 0 months respectively.
The ICAC launched an investigation after receiving allegations that some HD staff were involved in corruption in providing tip-offs on the Department’s anti-hawking impending operations.
During the investigation, some HD staff and other people were found to be involved in credit card frauds and other illegal activities.
The defendants were yesterday found guilty at North Kowloon Court of two counts of conspiracy to handle stolen goods on July 6, 1999.
Pui and Ng Wai-kei were further found guilty of having conspired with Leung Man, Ng Hok-mo, Wong Wai-choi and Leung Hoi-shing to dishonestly obtain goods worth more than $47,000 from various shops by uttering counterfeit credit cards.
The court earlier ordered five other charges which accused Pui and Ng Wai-kei of obtaining property by deception be left on file.
The court heard that the defendants agreed to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain commodities by uttering counterfeit credit cards.
The syndicate promised to pay Wong Wai-choi and Leung Hoi-shing 15 percent of the value of goods they successfully obtained, while Pui was promised a $1,000 reward for driving the syndicate to the destinations.
On July 6, 1999, the syndicate, driven by Pui, went to 15 various retail outlets in Central, North Point, Kwai Fong, Tsing Yi and Tsuen Wan.
The syndicate obtained health care products, several bottles of XO cognac and other consumer goods worth about $47,400 by uttering four counterfeit credit cards.
The defendants were arrested by the ICAC in the evening after they met to inspect the stolen goods.
Leung Man earlier pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges and was jailed for 12 months.
Ng Hok-mo, Wong and Leung Hoi-shing were convicted of credit card fraud in a separate case and were each jailed for 10 months.
Both Tsang and Leung Man, together with five others, were earlier charged with operating gambling establishments in a third case. Leung pleaded guilty and was given a suspended jail term.
The prosecution was today represented by Diana Cheung on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Hsu Man-wai.
Workman I of HD Tsang Cheung-ming, 40 and Estate Assistant of HD Liu Ho-wah, 44, were respectively jailed for seven months and four months, suspended for 18 months. Driver Pui Kam-fai, 29 and unemployed man Ng Wai-kei, 28, were jailed for 18 months and 2 0 months respectively.
The ICAC launched an investigation after receiving allegations that some HD staff were involved in corruption in providing tip-offs on the Department’s anti-hawking impending operations.
During the investigation, some HD staff and other people were found to be involved in credit card frauds and other illegal activities.
The defendants were yesterday found guilty at North Kowloon Court of two counts of conspiracy to handle stolen goods on July 6, 1999.
Pui and Ng Wai-kei were further found guilty of having conspired with Leung Man, Ng Hok-mo, Wong Wai-choi and Leung Hoi-shing to dishonestly obtain goods worth more than $47,000 from various shops by uttering counterfeit credit cards.
The court earlier ordered five other charges which accused Pui and Ng Wai-kei of obtaining property by deception be left on file.
The court heard that the defendants agreed to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain commodities by uttering counterfeit credit cards.
The syndicate promised to pay Wong Wai-choi and Leung Hoi-shing 15 percent of the value of goods they successfully obtained, while Pui was promised a $1,000 reward for driving the syndicate to the destinations.
On July 6, 1999, the syndicate, driven by Pui, went to 15 various retail outlets in Central, North Point, Kwai Fong, Tsing Yi and Tsuen Wan.
The syndicate obtained health care products, several bottles of XO cognac and other consumer goods worth about $47,400 by uttering four counterfeit credit cards.
The defendants were arrested by the ICAC in the evening after they met to inspect the stolen goods.
Leung Man earlier pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges and was jailed for 12 months.
Ng Hok-mo, Wong and Leung Hoi-shing were convicted of credit card fraud in a separate case and were each jailed for 10 months.
Both Tsang and Leung Man, together with five others, were earlier charged with operating gambling establishments in a third case. Leung pleaded guilty and was given a suspended jail term.
The prosecution was today represented by Diana Cheung on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Hsu Man-wai.