Businessman admits cheating $700,000 over bogus death claim
2004-7-14
A businessman today (Wednesday) admitted at Eastern Magistracy his role in a fraudulent scheme to deceive $700,000 in insurance claim by falsely claiming that a woman had died in a thunderbolt in the Mainland, and submitting false documents to support the bogus death claim.
Wong Yiu-tong, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, and one of attempting to procure the making of an entry in a bank record by deception.
Magistrate Mr Eddie Yip adjourned the case until August 13, 2004 for sentence, and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that the defendant might have offered advantages to an insurance agent for facilitating him in submitting a death claim. ICAC enquiries uncovered the conspiracy and deception offences.
The court heard that on July 15, 2002, the defendant took out a life/medical insurance policy with MassMutual Asia Limited (MassMutual) in the name of Wong Oi-lin, a resident of Qingxin County, Guangdong Province, at an insured sum of $700,000.
According to the application form, the defendant was Wong Oi-lin's elder brother and the sole beneficiary of the policy.
The defendant then conspired with a Chinese man named Zheng Biao and other persons to defraud MassMutual, by falsely representing that the insured person, Wong Oi-lin, was struck by thunderbolt and died in Gaozhou City on August 19, 2002.
To support his claim, the defendant submitted to MassMutual a number of bogus documents, including a death certificate issued by a hospital in Gaozhou City, and two certificates issued by Qingxin County's public security bureau purportedly affirming the c ancellation of residency registration of Wong Oi-lin and the defendant's relationship with the deceased.
The defendant had also submitted a certificate issued by a funeral parlour in Gaozhou City, purportedly evidencing the cremation of Wong Oi-lin.
The court heard that the Guangdong Provincial People's Procuratorate had rendered assistance to the ICAC in the investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Maggie Yang, assisted by ICAC officer Kate Cheuk.
Wong Yiu-tong, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, and one of attempting to procure the making of an entry in a bank record by deception.
Magistrate Mr Eddie Yip adjourned the case until August 13, 2004 for sentence, and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that the defendant might have offered advantages to an insurance agent for facilitating him in submitting a death claim. ICAC enquiries uncovered the conspiracy and deception offences.
The court heard that on July 15, 2002, the defendant took out a life/medical insurance policy with MassMutual Asia Limited (MassMutual) in the name of Wong Oi-lin, a resident of Qingxin County, Guangdong Province, at an insured sum of $700,000.
According to the application form, the defendant was Wong Oi-lin's elder brother and the sole beneficiary of the policy.
The defendant then conspired with a Chinese man named Zheng Biao and other persons to defraud MassMutual, by falsely representing that the insured person, Wong Oi-lin, was struck by thunderbolt and died in Gaozhou City on August 19, 2002.
To support his claim, the defendant submitted to MassMutual a number of bogus documents, including a death certificate issued by a hospital in Gaozhou City, and two certificates issued by Qingxin County's public security bureau purportedly affirming the c ancellation of residency registration of Wong Oi-lin and the defendant's relationship with the deceased.
The defendant had also submitted a certificate issued by a funeral parlour in Gaozhou City, purportedly evidencing the cremation of Wong Oi-lin.
The court heard that the Guangdong Provincial People's Procuratorate had rendered assistance to the ICAC in the investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Maggie Yang, assisted by ICAC officer Kate Cheuk.