Ex-financial controller of US company guilty of accepting $9.6m bribes
2005-2-2
A former financial controller of a US-based electronic products manufacturer, charged by the ICAC, was today (Wednesday) convicted at District Court of accepting bribes totalling $9.6 million.
Grace Chan Seong-I, 45, formerly employed by Honeywell Limited (Honeywell), was found guilty of three counts of agent accepting an advantage under Section 9(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Judge Sweeney adjourned the case until February 23, 2005 for sentence, and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that while employed by Honeywell in mid 1994, Chan approached two partners of a design consultant company in relation to decoration works for Honeywell's offices in Kowloon Bay.
Chan solicited rebates from the two partners, claiming that she could facilitate payments for the contract, and promised to award to the design company another decoration project of Honeywell's office on the Mainland.
The court heard that between August and October 1994, Chan accepted a total of $9.6 million from the two partners for awarding two decoration contracts of Honeywell.
Honeywell prohibited its staff from accepting advantages in relation to the company's business, the court was told.
Chan left Hong Kong on July 21, 1995 before the ICAC commenced an investigation, and was subsequently found residing in New Mexico.
On December 19, 2001, a warrant for her arrest was issued by a court in Hong Kong.
On December 31, 2001, the Department of Justice made a formal request to the US for the surrender of Chan.
On June 14 last year, a judge of the District Court in New Mexico ordered that Chan be surrendered. She was extradited from the US to Hong Kong in August last year.
The prosecution was today represented by Sabrina See, counsel on fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Joanne Tang.
Grace Chan Seong-I, 45, formerly employed by Honeywell Limited (Honeywell), was found guilty of three counts of agent accepting an advantage under Section 9(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Judge Sweeney adjourned the case until February 23, 2005 for sentence, and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that while employed by Honeywell in mid 1994, Chan approached two partners of a design consultant company in relation to decoration works for Honeywell's offices in Kowloon Bay.
Chan solicited rebates from the two partners, claiming that she could facilitate payments for the contract, and promised to award to the design company another decoration project of Honeywell's office on the Mainland.
The court heard that between August and October 1994, Chan accepted a total of $9.6 million from the two partners for awarding two decoration contracts of Honeywell.
Honeywell prohibited its staff from accepting advantages in relation to the company's business, the court was told.
Chan left Hong Kong on July 21, 1995 before the ICAC commenced an investigation, and was subsequently found residing in New Mexico.
On December 19, 2001, a warrant for her arrest was issued by a court in Hong Kong.
On December 31, 2001, the Department of Justice made a formal request to the US for the surrender of Chan.
On June 14 last year, a judge of the District Court in New Mexico ordered that Chan be surrendered. She was extradited from the US to Hong Kong in August last year.
The prosecution was today represented by Sabrina See, counsel on fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Joanne Tang.