Assistant Taxation Officer charged for alleged tax returns scam
2001-8-30
An Assistant Taxation Officer of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) was today (Thursday) charged by the ICAC for allegedly using forged IRD chops on tax returns of some companies and individuals to assist them in avoiding penalty or prosecution for late submission of tax returns.
Wong Fuk-keung, 50, will appear at 9:30 am in Eastern Court tomorrow (Friday) on a total of 35 charges.
Wong was among 32 persons arrested in an ICAC operation in September last year as a result of an investigation into alleged taxation bribery scams.
ICAC enquiries revealed that Wong had allegedly used a forged official chop to purportedly show that the tax returns of the companies and individuals were filed to IRD prior to the due dates. In fact, the returns were submitted to IRD months after the du e dates.
Wong was charged with 18 counts of forgery, 14 counts of using a false instrument, one count of fraud, one count of possessing equipment for making a false instrument, and one count of conspiracy to defraud.
Twenty-two of the charges allege that Wong had made a false impression of an IRD stamp and used the false impression upon the tax returns of a number of companies and individuals, purporting to evidence that the IRD's Central Mail Office had received the tax returns earlier.
Six other charges allege Wong of having made and used false tax returns of a company and an individual, with the intention of inducing IRD officers to accept them as genuine.
It is also alleged that Wong had made four false letters purportedly written by three taxpayers addressed to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
Wong was also charged with one count of fraud, which alleges that he had falsely represented to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue that he was a taxpayer, and that he had lodged Profits Tax Returns for the taxpayer's company.
Wong further faced one count of possessing equipment for making a false instrument, and one of conspiracy to defraud over employment testimonials.
The alleged offences took place between March 15, 1997 and June 1, 2000.
Wong has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance tomorrow.
Meanwhile, former Assistant Assessor Simon Li Hon-lun and Tax Inspector II Angus Wong Wai-ki of the IRD were separately charged and convicted for taxation bribery scams.
Li, 40, was sentenced to 40 months' imprisonment, while Wong, 29, received a jail sentence of 14 months.
Wong Fuk-keung, 50, will appear at 9:30 am in Eastern Court tomorrow (Friday) on a total of 35 charges.
Wong was among 32 persons arrested in an ICAC operation in September last year as a result of an investigation into alleged taxation bribery scams.
ICAC enquiries revealed that Wong had allegedly used a forged official chop to purportedly show that the tax returns of the companies and individuals were filed to IRD prior to the due dates. In fact, the returns were submitted to IRD months after the du e dates.
Wong was charged with 18 counts of forgery, 14 counts of using a false instrument, one count of fraud, one count of possessing equipment for making a false instrument, and one count of conspiracy to defraud.
Twenty-two of the charges allege that Wong had made a false impression of an IRD stamp and used the false impression upon the tax returns of a number of companies and individuals, purporting to evidence that the IRD's Central Mail Office had received the tax returns earlier.
Six other charges allege Wong of having made and used false tax returns of a company and an individual, with the intention of inducing IRD officers to accept them as genuine.
It is also alleged that Wong had made four false letters purportedly written by three taxpayers addressed to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
Wong was also charged with one count of fraud, which alleges that he had falsely represented to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue that he was a taxpayer, and that he had lodged Profits Tax Returns for the taxpayer's company.
Wong further faced one count of possessing equipment for making a false instrument, and one of conspiracy to defraud over employment testimonials.
The alleged offences took place between March 15, 1997 and June 1, 2000.
Wong has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance tomorrow.
Meanwhile, former Assistant Assessor Simon Li Hon-lun and Tax Inspector II Angus Wong Wai-ki of the IRD were separately charged and convicted for taxation bribery scams.
Li, 40, was sentenced to 40 months' imprisonment, while Wong, 29, received a jail sentence of 14 months.