Former managing architect extradited from Australia jailed for three years for $4m fraud
2001-12-5
A man formerly employed by an architectural firm as a managing architect, who was earlier extradited from Australia, was today (Wednesday) sentenced to three years' imprisonment at District Court for defrauding HK$4 million project design fees.
Allan Chan Yiu-ming, 58, formerly employed by P2H Design Associates Limited (P2H Design), left Hong Kong in February 1994 before the ICAC commenced an investigation into the case. He was extradited to Hong Kong on July 22 this year.
The defendant was today found guilty of five offences, including false accounting, forgery and deception.
Judge Sweeney remarked that the case involved a premeditated and well-orchestrated fraud.
The judge added that the four-year starting point for the sentence had been reduced to three years, taking into account the period during which the defendant was under custody in Australia.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that Chan had offered advantages to clients of P2H Design to facilitate the fraud. ICAC enquiries uncovered the multi-million dollar fraud.
P2H Design was engaged in drafting building plans for construction companies.
Chan, while employed by P2H Design, was responsible for liaising with clients and supervising design projects.
In July 1993, Chan, on behalf of P2H Design, signed a contract with Great Wall Strategic Holdings Limited (Great Wall) to design a villas project on the Mainland at a fee of HK$12 million.
In September 1993, the architectural firm entered into a US$140,000 contract with Garden Field Development Group (Garden Field) to design another villas project in Taiwan.
Chan subsequently falsified two company invoices, requesting partial payments of the design fees in the sums of HK$3 million and US$112,000 (about HK$873,600), respectively from Great Wall and Garden Field.
Chan deposited the HK$3 million cheque received from Great Wall into the bank account of a company owned by him.
Chan later left Hong Kong for the United States, where he cashed two other cheques from Garden Field for a total amount of US$112,000 on February 9, 1994.
P2H Design subsequently found that Chan had left a resignation letter and an authorisation letter purportedly signed by a director of P2H Design to permit him to accept the payments as bonus.
It was confirmed that the director had not written the authorisation letter, and the signature on the letter was forged.
The prosecution was today represented by Nicholas Adams on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Blanche Yiu.
Allan Chan Yiu-ming, 58, formerly employed by P2H Design Associates Limited (P2H Design), left Hong Kong in February 1994 before the ICAC commenced an investigation into the case. He was extradited to Hong Kong on July 22 this year.
The defendant was today found guilty of five offences, including false accounting, forgery and deception.
Judge Sweeney remarked that the case involved a premeditated and well-orchestrated fraud.
The judge added that the four-year starting point for the sentence had been reduced to three years, taking into account the period during which the defendant was under custody in Australia.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that Chan had offered advantages to clients of P2H Design to facilitate the fraud. ICAC enquiries uncovered the multi-million dollar fraud.
P2H Design was engaged in drafting building plans for construction companies.
Chan, while employed by P2H Design, was responsible for liaising with clients and supervising design projects.
In July 1993, Chan, on behalf of P2H Design, signed a contract with Great Wall Strategic Holdings Limited (Great Wall) to design a villas project on the Mainland at a fee of HK$12 million.
In September 1993, the architectural firm entered into a US$140,000 contract with Garden Field Development Group (Garden Field) to design another villas project in Taiwan.
Chan subsequently falsified two company invoices, requesting partial payments of the design fees in the sums of HK$3 million and US$112,000 (about HK$873,600), respectively from Great Wall and Garden Field.
Chan deposited the HK$3 million cheque received from Great Wall into the bank account of a company owned by him.
Chan later left Hong Kong for the United States, where he cashed two other cheques from Garden Field for a total amount of US$112,000 on February 9, 1994.
P2H Design subsequently found that Chan had left a resignation letter and an authorisation letter purportedly signed by a director of P2H Design to permit him to accept the payments as bonus.
It was confirmed that the director had not written the authorisation letter, and the signature on the letter was forged.
The prosecution was today represented by Nicholas Adams on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Blanche Yiu.