Company directors admit bribery over BBCW toy orders
2004-1-29
Three company directors, charged by the ICAC, today (Thursday) admitted at District Court their roles in a HK$6.46 million bribery scam in relation to the purchase of toys for BBC Worldwide Limited (BBCW).
The defendants were Daniel Jonathan Berman, 31, director of Eurasia Management Services Limited (EMS), Sydney Edels, 59, director of EMS Asia Limited (EMS Asia), and Jeffrey Everard Taylor, 42, former director of BBCW.
They pleaded guilty to one joint charge of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of bribery Ordinance, and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
The court ordered that three other charges of conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to accept advantages as agents, and conspiracy to deal with property known or believed to represent the proceeds of an indictable offence be left on court file.
Judge Saunders adjourned the case until next Monday (February 2, 2004) for sentence, and remanded the defendants in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
BBCW is a subsidiary company wholly owned by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). EMS was a toy sourcing agent of BBCW, while EMS Asia was a company formed by EMS in Hong Kong.
The charge stated that between July 9, 1999 and October 18, 2001, Berman, Edels and Taylor had conspired together to offer advantages to Taylor.
The advantages were reward for Taylor causing or permitting the placing of purchasing orders of goods for BBCW through EMS and EMS Asia with five toy suppliers - G.C. & Co., Ming Tat Industrial Co., Sun Shine Toys Limited, Germton Development Company Limi ted and Qualiman Industrial Co. Limited.
The court heard that Berman and Edels had received a total of about US$437,000 (HK$3.41 million) and HK$3.05 million from the five toy suppliers through three nominee companies.
The funds were subsequently transferred into foreign bank accounts controlled by Berman, Edels and Taylor. Out of the HK$6.46 million, Taylor received about HK$2.65 million.
Throughout the investigation the BBC has given full assistance to the ICAC. Jurisdictions outside Hong Kong, in particular Switzerland, also gave valuable assistance in tracing the movement of funds.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Kevin Zervos and Government Counsel Ned Lai, assisted by ICAC officers Peter Gregory and Henley Tsun.
The defendants were Daniel Jonathan Berman, 31, director of Eurasia Management Services Limited (EMS), Sydney Edels, 59, director of EMS Asia Limited (EMS Asia), and Jeffrey Everard Taylor, 42, former director of BBCW.
They pleaded guilty to one joint charge of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of bribery Ordinance, and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
The court ordered that three other charges of conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to accept advantages as agents, and conspiracy to deal with property known or believed to represent the proceeds of an indictable offence be left on court file.
Judge Saunders adjourned the case until next Monday (February 2, 2004) for sentence, and remanded the defendants in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
BBCW is a subsidiary company wholly owned by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). EMS was a toy sourcing agent of BBCW, while EMS Asia was a company formed by EMS in Hong Kong.
The charge stated that between July 9, 1999 and October 18, 2001, Berman, Edels and Taylor had conspired together to offer advantages to Taylor.
The advantages were reward for Taylor causing or permitting the placing of purchasing orders of goods for BBCW through EMS and EMS Asia with five toy suppliers - G.C. & Co., Ming Tat Industrial Co., Sun Shine Toys Limited, Germton Development Company Limi ted and Qualiman Industrial Co. Limited.
The court heard that Berman and Edels had received a total of about US$437,000 (HK$3.41 million) and HK$3.05 million from the five toy suppliers through three nominee companies.
The funds were subsequently transferred into foreign bank accounts controlled by Berman, Edels and Taylor. Out of the HK$6.46 million, Taylor received about HK$2.65 million.
Throughout the investigation the BBC has given full assistance to the ICAC. Jurisdictions outside Hong Kong, in particular Switzerland, also gave valuable assistance in tracing the movement of funds.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Kevin Zervos and Government Counsel Ned Lai, assisted by ICAC officers Peter Gregory and Henley Tsun.