Forty-two netted over bribery facilitated scam to deceive government training subsidies
2001-9-6
The ICAC has arrested 42 persons for an alleged bribery facilitated scam to deceive government subsidies under the Funding Scheme for Workplace English Training.
The suspects arrested in an operation codenamed “ Guinea Pig ” which commenced yesterday included two tutors of a training centre; a director, a manager and two staff of an English tutorial school; and 36 applicants.
Most of these applicants were housewives, blue-collar workers or unemployed persons.
The Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) had launched the scheme for non-civil servant employees. Under the scheme, the employees, with certification from employers, can apply for subsidies to take English courses for enhancing their English standard.
The applicants may take three English courses with recognised institutes within eight months, with a subsidy of 50 per cent of the actual course fee with a ceiling of $1,500 per course.
The subsidies will be granted to the applicants who can achieve a pass in a number of designated English language examinations after completing the courses.
The investigation arose from a referral from EMB. It is suspected that tutors of a training centre and staff of an English tutorial school might be involved in corruption and conspired with applicants to make false claims from the scheme.
No subsidies had yet been released on the basis of the suspected false claims.
The two arrested tutors had allegedly conspired with some applicants to offer bribes to the members of the English tutorial school to facilitate the making of a number of false claims totalling about $64,000 under the scheme.
It was also alleged that the tutors had inflated the course fees and the applicants were promised a 100 per cent refund of course fees after they obtained subsidies from the government.
The two tutors allegedly provided false employment records to the applicants.
EMB rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
All the arrestees have been released on bail.
Enquiries into the corruption allegation are continuing.
The suspects arrested in an operation codenamed “ Guinea Pig ” which commenced yesterday included two tutors of a training centre; a director, a manager and two staff of an English tutorial school; and 36 applicants.
Most of these applicants were housewives, blue-collar workers or unemployed persons.
The Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) had launched the scheme for non-civil servant employees. Under the scheme, the employees, with certification from employers, can apply for subsidies to take English courses for enhancing their English standard.
The applicants may take three English courses with recognised institutes within eight months, with a subsidy of 50 per cent of the actual course fee with a ceiling of $1,500 per course.
The subsidies will be granted to the applicants who can achieve a pass in a number of designated English language examinations after completing the courses.
The investigation arose from a referral from EMB. It is suspected that tutors of a training centre and staff of an English tutorial school might be involved in corruption and conspired with applicants to make false claims from the scheme.
No subsidies had yet been released on the basis of the suspected false claims.
The two arrested tutors had allegedly conspired with some applicants to offer bribes to the members of the English tutorial school to facilitate the making of a number of false claims totalling about $64,000 under the scheme.
It was also alleged that the tutors had inflated the course fees and the applicants were promised a 100 per cent refund of course fees after they obtained subsidies from the government.
The two tutors allegedly provided false employment records to the applicants.
EMB rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
All the arrestees have been released on bail.
Enquiries into the corruption allegation are continuing.