Doctor and bonesetter jailed for medical insurance fraud
2001-3-8
The Eastern Court today (Thursday) meted out prison terms to a medical practitioner, a bonesetter and a freelance insurance agent for their involvement in a $200,000 medical insurance scam.
Doctor Yue Wing-hang, 37, and freelance insurance agent Ng Chuck-ping, 46, were each jailed for four months, while bonesetter Mak Sin-chiu, 50, was given a three-month jail term.
The defendants earlier pleaded guilty to a total of 21 counts of conspiracy to defraud. Yue and Ng did not enter plea into 44 other similar charges, but the court had taken into consideration such offences in sentencing.
Magistrate Mr Eddie Yip noted that Yue and Mak had breached the trust expected of professionals, while Ng was the active recruiter of all alleged patients, without whose participation the scam could not be carried out.
The magistrate said the term of imprisonment was inevitable for the three defendants.
The court heard that in 1999, Ng had conspired with Yue and Mak for the doctor and the bonesetter to issue bogus medical certificates to a number of persons.
Such certificates served to falsely represent to various insurance companies that those persons had received treatment from Yue and Mak for bodily injuries, and had incurred medical expenses.
The court heard that as a result, American International Assurance Company (Bermuda) Limited, CRC Protective Life Insurance Co. Ltd.,
Canadian Eastern Life Assurance Limited, and Eagle Star Life Assurance Co. Ltd. were deceived into paying about $200,000 in medical benefits.
The ICAC commenced an investigation after receiving a corruption report alleging that a former insurance agent had accepted bribes to facilitate false insurance claims. Inquiries subsequently revealed an elaborate fraudulent scheme.
A total of 25 persons have been prosecuted in connection with the scam. Seventeen of them, including Yue, Mak and Ng, pleaded guilty, while trial pending for the remaining defendants.
The prosecution was today represented by Richard Sousa on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Diana Pang.
Doctor Yue Wing-hang, 37, and freelance insurance agent Ng Chuck-ping, 46, were each jailed for four months, while bonesetter Mak Sin-chiu, 50, was given a three-month jail term.
The defendants earlier pleaded guilty to a total of 21 counts of conspiracy to defraud. Yue and Ng did not enter plea into 44 other similar charges, but the court had taken into consideration such offences in sentencing.
Magistrate Mr Eddie Yip noted that Yue and Mak had breached the trust expected of professionals, while Ng was the active recruiter of all alleged patients, without whose participation the scam could not be carried out.
The magistrate said the term of imprisonment was inevitable for the three defendants.
The court heard that in 1999, Ng had conspired with Yue and Mak for the doctor and the bonesetter to issue bogus medical certificates to a number of persons.
Such certificates served to falsely represent to various insurance companies that those persons had received treatment from Yue and Mak for bodily injuries, and had incurred medical expenses.
The court heard that as a result, American International Assurance Company (Bermuda) Limited, CRC Protective Life Insurance Co. Ltd.,
Canadian Eastern Life Assurance Limited, and Eagle Star Life Assurance Co. Ltd. were deceived into paying about $200,000 in medical benefits.
The ICAC commenced an investigation after receiving a corruption report alleging that a former insurance agent had accepted bribes to facilitate false insurance claims. Inquiries subsequently revealed an elaborate fraudulent scheme.
A total of 25 persons have been prosecuted in connection with the scam. Seventeen of them, including Yue, Mak and Ng, pleaded guilty, while trial pending for the remaining defendants.
The prosecution was today represented by Richard Sousa on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Diana Pang.