20 months' jail for Assistant Taxation Officer in tax returns scam
2002-5-8
An Assistant Taxation Officer of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) was today (Wednesday) sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment at District Court for using a stolen IRD chop to backdate the tax returns for clients in his moonlighting business in order to help them escape penalties or prosecutions.
Wong Fuk-keung, 50, earlier pleaded guilty to 16 counts of forgery. The court ordered 19 other offences be left on court file, including two of forgery, 14 of using a false instrument, one of fraud, one of possessing equipment for the making of a false i nstrument, and one of conspiracy to defraud.
Deputy Judge Kevin Browne said an immediate custodial sentence was imposed on Wong in view of his serious breach of trust.
Pointing out that the scam involved a manipulated scheme, the judge said the defendant's dishonest behaviour had undermined public confidence in IRD's integrity.
The judge added that while the society expected civil servants to have a high degree of integrity, this was particularly true with IRD.
The case arose from a referral from IRD, alleging that Wong had accepted monetary rewards from taxpayers for assisting them in backdating their tax returns. ICAC enquiries revealed the forgery offences.
The court heard that since 1995, Wong operated a business to help his clients prepare their tax returns for a fee ranging from $1,000 to $4,000, without the knowledge of IRD.
As Wong could not complete and file the tax returns for his clients on time, he used a stolen IRD chop to backdate these tax returns.
He also impersonated his clients by forging their signatures on letters to raise objection to IRD in respect of prosecutions or penalties.
As a result, IRD withdrew its penalty actions or prosecutions against his clients.
The court was told that between 1995 and 2000, Wong had made about $70,000 to $80,000 from his moonlighting business.
The prosecution was today represented by John McNamara on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Samson Wong.
Wong Fuk-keung, 50, earlier pleaded guilty to 16 counts of forgery. The court ordered 19 other offences be left on court file, including two of forgery, 14 of using a false instrument, one of fraud, one of possessing equipment for the making of a false i nstrument, and one of conspiracy to defraud.
Deputy Judge Kevin Browne said an immediate custodial sentence was imposed on Wong in view of his serious breach of trust.
Pointing out that the scam involved a manipulated scheme, the judge said the defendant's dishonest behaviour had undermined public confidence in IRD's integrity.
The judge added that while the society expected civil servants to have a high degree of integrity, this was particularly true with IRD.
The case arose from a referral from IRD, alleging that Wong had accepted monetary rewards from taxpayers for assisting them in backdating their tax returns. ICAC enquiries revealed the forgery offences.
The court heard that since 1995, Wong operated a business to help his clients prepare their tax returns for a fee ranging from $1,000 to $4,000, without the knowledge of IRD.
As Wong could not complete and file the tax returns for his clients on time, he used a stolen IRD chop to backdate these tax returns.
He also impersonated his clients by forging their signatures on letters to raise objection to IRD in respect of prosecutions or penalties.
As a result, IRD withdrew its penalty actions or prosecutions against his clients.
The court was told that between 1995 and 2000, Wong had made about $70,000 to $80,000 from his moonlighting business.
The prosecution was today represented by John McNamara on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Samson Wong.