Forty-seven charged for alleged fraud over government education loans
2009-11-18
The ICAC has charged 47 persons for allegedly conspiring to defraud the Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA) of Non-means Tested Loans (NTLs) totalling over $2.6 million.
Among the defendants, three are suspected masterminds. They are Chau Yim-keung, 49, a shareholder-cum-director of ACCOM Corporation Limited (ACCOM); Poon Hoo-fai, 46, and So Pui-san, 42.
Five other defendants, who are suspected middlemen, are Li Yun-ping, 43, Lau Shui-keung, 54, Lee Hip-chung, 33, Wong Chun-yu, 23, and Chiu Hoi-sze, 48.
The remaining 39 defendants, aged from 20 to 60, are suspected bogus students and/or indemnifiers.
They are Tam Kwok-keung, Chung Wai-kuen, Chan Kim-chau, Lam Ching-han, Lau Wing-tat, Wong Mi-lin, Chan Kwong-on, Yeung Chi-kwong, Lee Chi-ming, Tam Yip-fu, Ng Wai-hong, Lee Ho-wah, Wong Sau-har, Toby Wong King-yan, Chen Lai-on, Wong King-wai, Wong Chun-su i, Alice Chan Chi-yan, Lee Yee-kai, Lai Chi-on, Chu Kit-ping, Lacky Chan Yuk-loi, Cheung Ka-chun, Henry Wong Tik-man, Lo Chung-wah, Leung Ng Hao-xian, Vincent Chiu Pak-sam, Chan Siu-kwan, Wong Wai-keung, Esther Fung Yuk-wah, Law Shue-kun, Fan Wai-ching, C hui Sai-ling, Chan Shing-yee, Yung Yuen-wai, Lee Siu-lun, Lee Heung-wing, Fung Chi-wai and Ma Sum-wing.
Forty-three of the defendants, facing a total of 30 charges of conspiracy to defraud in nine separate cases, will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Thursday) and/or Friday for plea.
The remaining four defendants Poon Hoo-fai, So Pui-san, Li Yun-ping and Lau Shui-keung, together with Chau Yim-keung and Lee Hip-chung, have been charged with another count of conspiracy to defraud. They will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am on De cember 9 for transfer to the District Court.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above conspiracy offences.
The charges allege that the defendants conspired to defraud the SFAA by dishonestly holding a management course by Accom Education Centre (AEC) and ITK Education and Development Centre (IEDC), and another management course by West Coast College. AEC and IEDC were subsidiaries of ACCOM.
They are alleged to have arranged the suspected middlemen, bogus students and/or indemnifiers to enrol in the courses and apply to the SFAA for NTLs.
They are also alleged to have falsely represented that the information provided for the relevant applications was true, and that the suspected middlemen, bogus students and/or indemnifiers intended to repay the NTLs.
It is alleged that the defendants intended to defraud the SFAA of the NTLs totalling over $2.6 million. But so far, the SFAA have advanced over $879,100 to some of the applicants.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place between August 2007 and May 2008.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance.
Among the defendants, three are suspected masterminds. They are Chau Yim-keung, 49, a shareholder-cum-director of ACCOM Corporation Limited (ACCOM); Poon Hoo-fai, 46, and So Pui-san, 42.
Five other defendants, who are suspected middlemen, are Li Yun-ping, 43, Lau Shui-keung, 54, Lee Hip-chung, 33, Wong Chun-yu, 23, and Chiu Hoi-sze, 48.
The remaining 39 defendants, aged from 20 to 60, are suspected bogus students and/or indemnifiers.
They are Tam Kwok-keung, Chung Wai-kuen, Chan Kim-chau, Lam Ching-han, Lau Wing-tat, Wong Mi-lin, Chan Kwong-on, Yeung Chi-kwong, Lee Chi-ming, Tam Yip-fu, Ng Wai-hong, Lee Ho-wah, Wong Sau-har, Toby Wong King-yan, Chen Lai-on, Wong King-wai, Wong Chun-su i, Alice Chan Chi-yan, Lee Yee-kai, Lai Chi-on, Chu Kit-ping, Lacky Chan Yuk-loi, Cheung Ka-chun, Henry Wong Tik-man, Lo Chung-wah, Leung Ng Hao-xian, Vincent Chiu Pak-sam, Chan Siu-kwan, Wong Wai-keung, Esther Fung Yuk-wah, Law Shue-kun, Fan Wai-ching, C hui Sai-ling, Chan Shing-yee, Yung Yuen-wai, Lee Siu-lun, Lee Heung-wing, Fung Chi-wai and Ma Sum-wing.
Forty-three of the defendants, facing a total of 30 charges of conspiracy to defraud in nine separate cases, will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Thursday) and/or Friday for plea.
The remaining four defendants Poon Hoo-fai, So Pui-san, Li Yun-ping and Lau Shui-keung, together with Chau Yim-keung and Lee Hip-chung, have been charged with another count of conspiracy to defraud. They will appear in Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am on De cember 9 for transfer to the District Court.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above conspiracy offences.
The charges allege that the defendants conspired to defraud the SFAA by dishonestly holding a management course by Accom Education Centre (AEC) and ITK Education and Development Centre (IEDC), and another management course by West Coast College. AEC and IEDC were subsidiaries of ACCOM.
They are alleged to have arranged the suspected middlemen, bogus students and/or indemnifiers to enrol in the courses and apply to the SFAA for NTLs.
They are also alleged to have falsely represented that the information provided for the relevant applications was true, and that the suspected middlemen, bogus students and/or indemnifiers intended to repay the NTLs.
It is alleged that the defendants intended to defraud the SFAA of the NTLs totalling over $2.6 million. But so far, the SFAA have advanced over $879,100 to some of the applicants.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place between August 2007 and May 2008.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance.