Ex-chairman and chairman of TSL charged for alleged conspiracy to offer advantages and tax fraud
2006-1-19
Five persons, including the former chairman and chairman of publicly listed Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International) Limited (TSL), have been charged by the ICAC for their respective roles in alleged conspiracies to offer advantages and tax fraud.
The defendants are Tse Sui-luen, 70, former chairman of TSL; Tommy Tse Tat-fung, 38, chairman of TSL; Chung Yuen-ling, 44, former deputy chairman and finance director of TSL; Peter Gerardus VAN WEERDENBURG, 47, deputy chairman and chief executive officer of TSL; and Vivat PIRAPOKIN, 57, director of Overseas Express Tours Limited (Overseas Express).
They will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Friday) on a total of four charges –'96 three of conspiracy to offer advantages to agents, and one of conspiracy to cheat the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The defendants were arrested by the ICAC during a corruption inquiry last year.
One of the bribery charges alleges that Tse Sui-luen had, between February and August 1996, conspired with other persons to offer commissions to travel agents who would arrange tour groups to patronise the showrooms of TSL, as rewards for such agents show ing or having shown favour to TSL in relation to their principals’ affairs or business.
Tse Sui-luen, Tse Tat-fung and Chung Yuen-ling were charged with a similar offence of conspiracy to offer advantages between August 1996 and April 2003; while Tse Tat-fung and VAN WEERDENBURG face another similar charge of conspiracy to offer advantages b etween April 2003 and April 2005.
The remaining charge alleges Tse Sui Luen and PIRAPOKIN of having conspired together and with another person to, with intent to defraud, cheat the HKSAR Government of profits tax between March 1999 and May 2003.
They are alleged to have made false invoices, agreements and correspondence, which purported to show the true sums of commission received by Overseas Express, and have concealed from the Inland Revenue Department other sums of commission paid to Overseas Express directly or indirectly by TSL.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances tomorrow.
The defendants are Tse Sui-luen, 70, former chairman of TSL; Tommy Tse Tat-fung, 38, chairman of TSL; Chung Yuen-ling, 44, former deputy chairman and finance director of TSL; Peter Gerardus VAN WEERDENBURG, 47, deputy chairman and chief executive officer of TSL; and Vivat PIRAPOKIN, 57, director of Overseas Express Tours Limited (Overseas Express).
They will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Friday) on a total of four charges –'96 three of conspiracy to offer advantages to agents, and one of conspiracy to cheat the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
The defendants were arrested by the ICAC during a corruption inquiry last year.
One of the bribery charges alleges that Tse Sui-luen had, between February and August 1996, conspired with other persons to offer commissions to travel agents who would arrange tour groups to patronise the showrooms of TSL, as rewards for such agents show ing or having shown favour to TSL in relation to their principals’ affairs or business.
Tse Sui-luen, Tse Tat-fung and Chung Yuen-ling were charged with a similar offence of conspiracy to offer advantages between August 1996 and April 2003; while Tse Tat-fung and VAN WEERDENBURG face another similar charge of conspiracy to offer advantages b etween April 2003 and April 2005.
The remaining charge alleges Tse Sui Luen and PIRAPOKIN of having conspired together and with another person to, with intent to defraud, cheat the HKSAR Government of profits tax between March 1999 and May 2003.
They are alleged to have made false invoices, agreements and correspondence, which purported to show the true sums of commission received by Overseas Express, and have concealed from the Inland Revenue Department other sums of commission paid to Overseas Express directly or indirectly by TSL.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances tomorrow.