Six former insurance agents charged for allegedly deceiving commission and remuneration
2009-11-2
The ICAC has charged six former insurance agents for their alleged roles in using false documents to deceive commission and/or remuneration totalling over $2.7 million from their employers in six separate cases.
The defendants are Wong Ka-lok, alias Wong Kam-yin, 30, Chan Hau-yeung, 37, Yeung Chun-hung, 33, Lam Wai-ho, 33, all former insurance agents respectively employed by Zurich Life Insurance Company Limited (Zurich) and ING Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) L imited (ING) at the time of the alleged offences; Cheng Ching-ching, 30, and Tsang Kwok-chi, 42, both former insurance agents of Zurich.
The six defendants will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Tuesday) for plea in separate cases.
In the first two cases, Wong and Chan each faces four counts of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO), and two of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception.
The POBO charges allege that the defendants used forms containing statements which were false, erroneous or defective in material particulars, with intent to deceive their principal.
It is alleged that the forms falsely showed certain insured persons had taken out insurance policies from Zurich through the defendants. As a result, Zurich was deceived into paying Wong and Chan commission totalling over $11,200 and over $21,000 respect ively.
The deception charges allege the defendants, by falsely representing that they had not been convicted of a criminal offence, obtained for themselves pecuniary advantages by deception in that they were given the opportunities to earn remuneration in an emp loyment by Zurich and ING respectively as insurance agents.
Wong is alleged to have obtained remuneration totalling over $606,000 and over $818,000 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception, while Chan allegedly obtained remuneration totalling over $444,000 and over $300,000 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception.
In the third and fourth cases, Yeung is charged with two counts of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO, and two of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception; while Lam faces two similar deceptio n offences.
As a result, Zurich was allegedly deceived into paying Yeung commission totalling over $3,700. Yeung also allegedly obtained remuneration totalling over $269,000 and over $34,000 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception.
Meanwhile, Lam allegedly obtained remuneration totalling over $192,000 and over $20,500 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception.
In the last two cases, Cheng faces two counts of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO, while Tsang is charged with one similar offence.
It is alleged that Zurich was deceived into paying Cheng and Tsang commission totalling over $1,700 and over $5,000 respectively.
The alleged POBO and deception offences in the above cases are said to have taken place between July 2005 and June last year.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Inquiries subsequently revealed the above alleged offences.
During the course of investigation, Zurich and ING rendered full cooperation to the ICAC.
The six defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance tomorrow.
The defendants are Wong Ka-lok, alias Wong Kam-yin, 30, Chan Hau-yeung, 37, Yeung Chun-hung, 33, Lam Wai-ho, 33, all former insurance agents respectively employed by Zurich Life Insurance Company Limited (Zurich) and ING Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) L imited (ING) at the time of the alleged offences; Cheng Ching-ching, 30, and Tsang Kwok-chi, 42, both former insurance agents of Zurich.
The six defendants will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Tuesday) for plea in separate cases.
In the first two cases, Wong and Chan each faces four counts of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO), and two of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception.
The POBO charges allege that the defendants used forms containing statements which were false, erroneous or defective in material particulars, with intent to deceive their principal.
It is alleged that the forms falsely showed certain insured persons had taken out insurance policies from Zurich through the defendants. As a result, Zurich was deceived into paying Wong and Chan commission totalling over $11,200 and over $21,000 respect ively.
The deception charges allege the defendants, by falsely representing that they had not been convicted of a criminal offence, obtained for themselves pecuniary advantages by deception in that they were given the opportunities to earn remuneration in an emp loyment by Zurich and ING respectively as insurance agents.
Wong is alleged to have obtained remuneration totalling over $606,000 and over $818,000 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception, while Chan allegedly obtained remuneration totalling over $444,000 and over $300,000 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception.
In the third and fourth cases, Yeung is charged with two counts of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO, and two of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception; while Lam faces two similar deceptio n offences.
As a result, Zurich was allegedly deceived into paying Yeung commission totalling over $3,700. Yeung also allegedly obtained remuneration totalling over $269,000 and over $34,000 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception.
Meanwhile, Lam allegedly obtained remuneration totalling over $192,000 and over $20,500 from Zurich and ING respectively by deception.
In the last two cases, Cheng faces two counts of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO, while Tsang is charged with one similar offence.
It is alleged that Zurich was deceived into paying Cheng and Tsang commission totalling over $1,700 and over $5,000 respectively.
The alleged POBO and deception offences in the above cases are said to have taken place between July 2005 and June last year.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Inquiries subsequently revealed the above alleged offences.
During the course of investigation, Zurich and ING rendered full cooperation to the ICAC.
The six defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance tomorrow.