Four jailed for unauthorised checks on customers' data
2007-4-18
Four persons, charged by the ICAC, were today (Wednesday) jailed for their roles in conducting unauthorised checks on customers' personal data of five banks for debt collecting companies.
Lo Po-shun, 41, director of Honesty Corporate Management Limited (Honesty) and partner of Shun Tat Debt Collection Service Company (Shun Tat), was earlier found guilty on one count each of conspiracy and incitement to access to computer with dishonest int ent. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half-years' imprisonment.
Also charged in the same case, Hung Tsz-yin, 42, employee of Honesty, earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy and one of incitement to access computer with dishonest intent. He received a jail term of 18 months.
Two other co-defendants Au Yeung Yuk-lin, 29, former clerk of a bank; and her brother Au Yeung Chi-fai, 38, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to access computer with dishonest intent. They were respectively jailed for 10 months and 12 months .
In sentencing, District Court Judge Joseph Yau said the offences committed by the defendants had disgraced Hong Kong's reputation as an international finance centre, and seriously undermined the public's confidence in the integrity of the banking system.
The defendants were arrested by the ICAC during a corruption inquiry.
The court heard that between January 2003 and June 2005, Lo had, on various occasions, conspired with Hung and some bank staff to conduct unauthorised checks of the banks' customers' personal data to facilitate his debt collecting business.
During the above period, Hung had also conspired with Au Yeung Chi-fai to request Au Yeung Yuk-lin, who was then a bank clerk, to retrieve customers' personal data to facilitate the business of Honesty and Shun Tat.
Meanwhile, another seven bank employees earlier charged in relation to the same investigation were convicted of their respective roles. They received sentences ranging from community service order to nine months' imprisonment.
All the banks concerned had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The case was today represented by prosecuting counsel Richard Wong, assisted by ICAC officer Gary Leung.
Lo Po-shun, 41, director of Honesty Corporate Management Limited (Honesty) and partner of Shun Tat Debt Collection Service Company (Shun Tat), was earlier found guilty on one count each of conspiracy and incitement to access to computer with dishonest int ent. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half-years' imprisonment.
Also charged in the same case, Hung Tsz-yin, 42, employee of Honesty, earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of conspiracy and one of incitement to access computer with dishonest intent. He received a jail term of 18 months.
Two other co-defendants Au Yeung Yuk-lin, 29, former clerk of a bank; and her brother Au Yeung Chi-fai, 38, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to access computer with dishonest intent. They were respectively jailed for 10 months and 12 months .
In sentencing, District Court Judge Joseph Yau said the offences committed by the defendants had disgraced Hong Kong's reputation as an international finance centre, and seriously undermined the public's confidence in the integrity of the banking system.
The defendants were arrested by the ICAC during a corruption inquiry.
The court heard that between January 2003 and June 2005, Lo had, on various occasions, conspired with Hung and some bank staff to conduct unauthorised checks of the banks' customers' personal data to facilitate his debt collecting business.
During the above period, Hung had also conspired with Au Yeung Chi-fai to request Au Yeung Yuk-lin, who was then a bank clerk, to retrieve customers' personal data to facilitate the business of Honesty and Shun Tat.
Meanwhile, another seven bank employees earlier charged in relation to the same investigation were convicted of their respective roles. They received sentences ranging from community service order to nine months' imprisonment.
All the banks concerned had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The case was today represented by prosecuting counsel Richard Wong, assisted by ICAC officer Gary Leung.