Two years' jail for cheating insurance claims with bogus accident on Mainland
2001-5-28
A painting worker, who cheated insurance claims by using false medical certificates to show that he sustained brain injuries following a traffic accident in a city in Fujian Province, was jailed for two years at Eastern Court today (Monday).
Kwok Siu-fai, 38, was today found guilty by Magistrate Mr Robert McNair on two counts of using a false instrument on January 15, 1997.
Such false documents included medical certificates, hospital expense receipts and discharge summaries, and accident and hospitalization claim forms of Canadian Eastern Life Assurance Limited (Canadian Life) and Manulife (International) Limited (Manulife).
The ICAC obtained assistance from the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) and the Fujian Provincial People's Procuratorate (FPPP) in this investigation.
"Through SPP and FPPP, arrangements were made for two witnesses to travel to Hong Kong to testify for the prosecution," an ICAC spokesman said.
The magistrate today remarked that the two staff members of the Shishi Hospital who testified in court were reliable and honest.
The case arose from a corruption complaint alleging that an insurance agent might have accepted bribes for processing false insurance claims.
Investigation revealed that fraud offences were involved.
The court heard that on January 15, 1997, Kwok respectively submitted to Canadian Life and Manulife claim forms for accident and hospitalization, falsely representing that he was involved in a road traffic accident in Shishi in Fujian Province on November 6, 1996.
He also falsely claimed that after the accident, he was attended by a doctor at Shishi City Hospital, where he was hospitalized from November 6 to December 15, 1996 for "cerebral contusion".
Investigation revealed that the defendant had not been involved in any accident on the Mainland, nor had he been hospitalized there. The supporting documents he submitted were found to be fake, and the signatures and chops were falsified.
While one of the insurance companies declined to issue insurance benefits to the defendant, the other one had subsequently paid out $26,557 to him.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Alex Lee, assisted by ICAC officer Torres Leung.
Kwok Siu-fai, 38, was today found guilty by Magistrate Mr Robert McNair on two counts of using a false instrument on January 15, 1997.
Such false documents included medical certificates, hospital expense receipts and discharge summaries, and accident and hospitalization claim forms of Canadian Eastern Life Assurance Limited (Canadian Life) and Manulife (International) Limited (Manulife).
The ICAC obtained assistance from the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) and the Fujian Provincial People's Procuratorate (FPPP) in this investigation.
"Through SPP and FPPP, arrangements were made for two witnesses to travel to Hong Kong to testify for the prosecution," an ICAC spokesman said.
The magistrate today remarked that the two staff members of the Shishi Hospital who testified in court were reliable and honest.
The case arose from a corruption complaint alleging that an insurance agent might have accepted bribes for processing false insurance claims.
Investigation revealed that fraud offences were involved.
The court heard that on January 15, 1997, Kwok respectively submitted to Canadian Life and Manulife claim forms for accident and hospitalization, falsely representing that he was involved in a road traffic accident in Shishi in Fujian Province on November 6, 1996.
He also falsely claimed that after the accident, he was attended by a doctor at Shishi City Hospital, where he was hospitalized from November 6 to December 15, 1996 for "cerebral contusion".
Investigation revealed that the defendant had not been involved in any accident on the Mainland, nor had he been hospitalized there. The supporting documents he submitted were found to be fake, and the signatures and chops were falsified.
While one of the insurance companies declined to issue insurance benefits to the defendant, the other one had subsequently paid out $26,557 to him.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Alex Lee, assisted by ICAC officer Torres Leung.