Three jailed for bogus marriage scams
2002-7-18
Three persons, charged by the ICAC with allegedly arranging and participating in bogus marriages with residents in Fujian Province on the Mainland, were today (Thursday) given jail terms of up to eight months at Kowloon City Magistracy.
Kitty Chu Sau-kwan, 37, unemployed, received a jail sentence of seven months, of which four months will be run consecutively with her existing eight-month imprisonment for defrauding the Social Welfare Department over the Comprehensive Social Security Ass istance in another ICAC case.
Yeung Hau-wan, 40, housewife, was jailed for eight months, while Wong Lok-yan, 22, nightclub hostess, received a jail sentence of four months and two weeks.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Johnny Chan said custodial sentences were imposed, as bogus marriage scams were unfair to Mainland residents who followed the proper procedures to apply for one-way permits to Hong Kong on family re-union grounds.
Chu and Wong earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud China Legal Service (HK) Ltd. (China Legal Service), while Yeung was today found guilty of a similar offence.
China Legal Service is a semi-official Mainland organisation in Hong Kong, which handles applications for marriages with Mainlanders for forwarding to the Mainland authorities.
The bogus marriage scams were uncovered by the ICAC during an inquiry into corruption allegations.
The court heard that Chu had conspired with other persons to defraud China Legal Service by falsely representing that Leung Wing-yeung intended to marry a Mainland resident.
Chu had arranged Leung to travel to Fujian Province to meet his putative spouse and to register the marriage there. Leung received no rewards from Chu since they were close friends.
The court also heard that Chu, Yeung and Wong had also conspired with other persons to defraud China Legal Service by arranging a bogus marriage between Wong and another Mainland resident.
Chu had paid Yeung HK$7,000 and 5,000 Renminbi as rewards for Wong. But Yeung gave HK$10,000 to Wong, and pocketed the remaining money.
The offences took place between April 2000 and January 2001.
The three defendants were among 11 persons charged by the ICAC for bogus marriage scams.
Five other defendants - Leung Wing-yeung, Lam Tak-choi, Chan Pui-ching, Chiu Yiu-bun and Fok Chi-hung - were sentenced to jail terms ranging from six to 12 months.
While the prosecution offered no evidence against Ngai Lok-yu, the remaining two defendants - Sum Wan-ching and Ng Chi-keung - had pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud China Legal Service.
Sum and Ng are scheduled to face trial on July 31 and September 9, 2002 respectively.
The prosecution was today represented by Ernest Cheung on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Kitty Lau.
Kitty Chu Sau-kwan, 37, unemployed, received a jail sentence of seven months, of which four months will be run consecutively with her existing eight-month imprisonment for defrauding the Social Welfare Department over the Comprehensive Social Security Ass istance in another ICAC case.
Yeung Hau-wan, 40, housewife, was jailed for eight months, while Wong Lok-yan, 22, nightclub hostess, received a jail sentence of four months and two weeks.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Johnny Chan said custodial sentences were imposed, as bogus marriage scams were unfair to Mainland residents who followed the proper procedures to apply for one-way permits to Hong Kong on family re-union grounds.
Chu and Wong earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud China Legal Service (HK) Ltd. (China Legal Service), while Yeung was today found guilty of a similar offence.
China Legal Service is a semi-official Mainland organisation in Hong Kong, which handles applications for marriages with Mainlanders for forwarding to the Mainland authorities.
The bogus marriage scams were uncovered by the ICAC during an inquiry into corruption allegations.
The court heard that Chu had conspired with other persons to defraud China Legal Service by falsely representing that Leung Wing-yeung intended to marry a Mainland resident.
Chu had arranged Leung to travel to Fujian Province to meet his putative spouse and to register the marriage there. Leung received no rewards from Chu since they were close friends.
The court also heard that Chu, Yeung and Wong had also conspired with other persons to defraud China Legal Service by arranging a bogus marriage between Wong and another Mainland resident.
Chu had paid Yeung HK$7,000 and 5,000 Renminbi as rewards for Wong. But Yeung gave HK$10,000 to Wong, and pocketed the remaining money.
The offences took place between April 2000 and January 2001.
The three defendants were among 11 persons charged by the ICAC for bogus marriage scams.
Five other defendants - Leung Wing-yeung, Lam Tak-choi, Chan Pui-ching, Chiu Yiu-bun and Fok Chi-hung - were sentenced to jail terms ranging from six to 12 months.
While the prosecution offered no evidence against Ngai Lok-yu, the remaining two defendants - Sum Wan-ching and Ng Chi-keung - had pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud China Legal Service.
Sum and Ng are scheduled to face trial on July 31 and September 9, 2002 respectively.
The prosecution was today represented by Ernest Cheung on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Kitty Lau.