Twenty-one arrested for alleged bribery over subscription of pay TV, internet and telephone services
2008-4-23
The ICAC has arrested 21 persons for alleged bribery, fraud and forgery in relation to fraudulent subscription of pay TV, internet and telephone services involving 400 bogus applications.
The suspects, who were arrested in an operation codenamed “ Commanding ” commencing on Monday (April 21), included three alleged masterminds, namely an account executive of a telecommunications company, an account executive of a pay TV company and a direct sales executive of an internet service company, as well as two associa tes.
Also arrested were two direct sales executives of the pay TV company, eight former and existing direct salespersons of another telecommunications company and five technicians of an installation contractor, and a staff of a fitness centre.
The ICAC commenced an investigation upon receipt of a corruption complaint.
Enquiries revealed that the alleged masterminds might have obtained personal credit cards, which have been reported lost or expired, from their associates and the fitness centre’s staff. They had used bogus personal identities and the credit card data to subscribe for pay TV, internet and telephone services. During the ICAC operation, more than 60 such credit cards were recovered and seized.
With the corrupt assistance of the sales executives of the pay TV company as well as the former and existing direct salespersons of the telecommunications company, the trio was alleged to have defrauded the service providers of sales commissions and free gifts by submitting a total of over 400 application forms containing bogus subscribers’ information.
The alleged masterminds were suspected to have offered advantages to supervisory staff members for conniving at their fraudulent acts.
They were also alleged to have enlisted the corrupt assistance of the technicians of the installation contractor in making false reports to the telecommunications company, claiming that the services had been installed. Some of the installation addresses were in fact non-existent.
It was also believed that some of the free gifts acquired through the bogus applications were given to the technicians as rewards for their corrupt assistance.
The service providers concerned have rendered assistance to the ICAC throughout the investigation.
ICAC enquiries are continuing.
The suspects, who were arrested in an operation codenamed “ Commanding ” commencing on Monday (April 21), included three alleged masterminds, namely an account executive of a telecommunications company, an account executive of a pay TV company and a direct sales executive of an internet service company, as well as two associa tes.
Also arrested were two direct sales executives of the pay TV company, eight former and existing direct salespersons of another telecommunications company and five technicians of an installation contractor, and a staff of a fitness centre.
The ICAC commenced an investigation upon receipt of a corruption complaint.
Enquiries revealed that the alleged masterminds might have obtained personal credit cards, which have been reported lost or expired, from their associates and the fitness centre’s staff. They had used bogus personal identities and the credit card data to subscribe for pay TV, internet and telephone services. During the ICAC operation, more than 60 such credit cards were recovered and seized.
With the corrupt assistance of the sales executives of the pay TV company as well as the former and existing direct salespersons of the telecommunications company, the trio was alleged to have defrauded the service providers of sales commissions and free gifts by submitting a total of over 400 application forms containing bogus subscribers’ information.
The alleged masterminds were suspected to have offered advantages to supervisory staff members for conniving at their fraudulent acts.
They were also alleged to have enlisted the corrupt assistance of the technicians of the installation contractor in making false reports to the telecommunications company, claiming that the services had been installed. Some of the installation addresses were in fact non-existent.
It was also believed that some of the free gifts acquired through the bogus applications were given to the technicians as rewards for their corrupt assistance.
The service providers concerned have rendered assistance to the ICAC throughout the investigation.
ICAC enquiries are continuing.