Ex-agent and three others admit $23m fraudulent insurance claims
2007-1-11
A former insurance agent and three other persons, charged by the ICAC, today (Thursday) admitted at the District Court their roles in making fraudulent insurance claims totalling over $23 million by inflicting eye injuries.
Kwok Wah-cheong, 47, former insurance agent; Liu Yuanming, 38, Gu Zhiyuan, 34 and Zhang Zhibiao, 35, all Mainland residents, pleaded guilty to a total of nine charges, including four counts of conspiracy to defraud, three of possessing forged or identity cards relating to others, one of breaching a condition of stay, and one of remaining in Hong Kong after having landed unlawfully.
Deputy Judge Amanda Jane Woodcock adjourned the case until February 6 for mention, and remanded the defendants in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC inquiries revealed the fraudulent scam allegedly facilitated by corruption.
The court heard that Kwok, being the mastermind of the scam, had taken out insurance policies with various insurance companies using the names of persons who had either lost or sold their identity cards to a criminal syndicate.
Kwok then recruited a number of Mainland residents, including Liu and Gu who, with the assistance of Zhang, agreed to inflict injury to their eyes for the purpose of making false claims in relation to the above insurance policies.
The court heard that between March 31, 2004 and June 15, 2006, Kwok, Liu, Gu and Zhang had conspired together and with two other persons, respectively nicknamed "Ko Lo" and "Ah Loy", to defraud a total of 16 insurance companies.
They falsely represented to those insurance companies that "Ko Lo", "Ah Loy", Liu and Gu were four other individuals who were the insured of various insurance policies, and that those individuals had sustained injuries to the eyes caused by accidents.
Had the insurance companies paid the compensation under all the fraudulently applied insurance policies, the potential losses would amount to $23.68 million.
The court also heard that on June 15, 2006, Kwok had in his possession 132 Hong Kong identity cards which related to other persons, while Zhang possessed a Hong Kong identity card relating to another person.
On the same day, Liu was found to have in his possession a forged Hong Kong identity card bearing a photograph of himself. He had also remained in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director of Immigration after having landed in Hong Kong unlawfully.
Gu contravened a condition of stay by remaining in Hong Kong after April 25, 2006, the court was told.
Meanwhile, co-defendants Ho Shuk-yin 45, insurance agent; Ng Pui-lam, 26, transportation worker; and Kwok Yan-sang, 54, unemployed, were also charged in connection with the scam. They will appear in the District Court for mention next Tuesday (January 16 ).
The prosecution was today represented by Acting Senior Government Counsel Ned Lai, assisted by ICAC officer Beta Leung.
Kwok Wah-cheong, 47, former insurance agent; Liu Yuanming, 38, Gu Zhiyuan, 34 and Zhang Zhibiao, 35, all Mainland residents, pleaded guilty to a total of nine charges, including four counts of conspiracy to defraud, three of possessing forged or identity cards relating to others, one of breaching a condition of stay, and one of remaining in Hong Kong after having landed unlawfully.
Deputy Judge Amanda Jane Woodcock adjourned the case until February 6 for mention, and remanded the defendants in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC inquiries revealed the fraudulent scam allegedly facilitated by corruption.
The court heard that Kwok, being the mastermind of the scam, had taken out insurance policies with various insurance companies using the names of persons who had either lost or sold their identity cards to a criminal syndicate.
Kwok then recruited a number of Mainland residents, including Liu and Gu who, with the assistance of Zhang, agreed to inflict injury to their eyes for the purpose of making false claims in relation to the above insurance policies.
The court heard that between March 31, 2004 and June 15, 2006, Kwok, Liu, Gu and Zhang had conspired together and with two other persons, respectively nicknamed "Ko Lo" and "Ah Loy", to defraud a total of 16 insurance companies.
They falsely represented to those insurance companies that "Ko Lo", "Ah Loy", Liu and Gu were four other individuals who were the insured of various insurance policies, and that those individuals had sustained injuries to the eyes caused by accidents.
Had the insurance companies paid the compensation under all the fraudulently applied insurance policies, the potential losses would amount to $23.68 million.
The court also heard that on June 15, 2006, Kwok had in his possession 132 Hong Kong identity cards which related to other persons, while Zhang possessed a Hong Kong identity card relating to another person.
On the same day, Liu was found to have in his possession a forged Hong Kong identity card bearing a photograph of himself. He had also remained in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director of Immigration after having landed in Hong Kong unlawfully.
Gu contravened a condition of stay by remaining in Hong Kong after April 25, 2006, the court was told.
Meanwhile, co-defendants Ho Shuk-yin 45, insurance agent; Ng Pui-lam, 26, transportation worker; and Kwok Yan-sang, 54, unemployed, were also charged in connection with the scam. They will appear in the District Court for mention next Tuesday (January 16 ).
The prosecution was today represented by Acting Senior Government Counsel Ned Lai, assisted by ICAC officer Beta Leung.