Former PCCW salespersons jailed for deceiving commissions
2010-8-11
Four former salespersons of Pacific Century Cyberworks Limited (PCCW), charged by the ICAC, were today (Wednesday) sentenced to various jail terms at the District Court for their respective roles in a scam to deceive sales commissions totalling $47,000 fr om PCCW by making bogus subscriptions of telecommunication services.
Michele Leung Wai-him, 34, who was earlier found guilty of three counts of conspiracy to defraud, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Leung Hoi-wai, 31, Cheng Wai-mun, 42, and Wan Wai-lim, 31, who were convicted of a similar offence, were each jailed for 18 months.
In sentencing, Judge Anthea Pang noted that the scam was a planned conspiracy, which incurred losses to PCCW. She did not consider the mitigating factors warranted any reduction of the jail terms, the judge added.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC investigation revealed the said offences, which took place between November 2007 and April 2008.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, Leung Wai-him and his two associates rented a unit in a factory building in Tai Kok Tsui, where they prepared and processed bogus sales orders.
Leung Wai-him obtained personal particulars from two unknown persons at $250 to $300 per set, and credit cards of other persons from another unknown person.
Part of the above data was used for preparing 28 bogus sales orders, which were then submitted to PCCW.
In order to pass the verification conducted by the customer service team of PCCW, Leung Wai-him and his associates took turns to answer the calls by posing themselves as the subscribers concerned.
When Leung Wai-him was arrested in April 2008, ICAC officers seized a total of 435 customer copies of sales orders bearing false personal particulars, 290 pre-paid mobile phone SIM cards, three Hong Kong identity cards and 67 credit cards belonging to oth er persons.
The court heard that since early 2008, Wan Wai-lim had purchased from Leung Wai-him five to six sets of customers’ data each month at $200 to $250 per set.
Wan subsequently submitted to PCCW 12 bogus sales orders, all of which contained fictitious information.
Around December 2007, Cheng Wai-mun recommended a friend to join PCCW. Cheng asked Leung Hoi-wai to purchase customers’ particulars from Leung Wai-him at $320 to $400 per set for preparing 13 bogus sales orders in the name of the said friend for submission to PCCW.
As a result of the bogus sales orders, PCCW was caused to issue sales commissions totalling about $47,000 to the defendants, the court was told.
Meanwhile, another former PCCW salesperson Tatsuya Saionji, 21, who was also charged by the ICAC in connection with the case, earlier pleaded guilty to one count of using a false certificate of service in applying for a job from PCCW in 2007. He will be sentenced on August 20, pending a community service order report.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Bernard Yuen, assisted by ICAC officer May Lam.
Michele Leung Wai-him, 34, who was earlier found guilty of three counts of conspiracy to defraud, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Leung Hoi-wai, 31, Cheng Wai-mun, 42, and Wan Wai-lim, 31, who were convicted of a similar offence, were each jailed for 18 months.
In sentencing, Judge Anthea Pang noted that the scam was a planned conspiracy, which incurred losses to PCCW. She did not consider the mitigating factors warranted any reduction of the jail terms, the judge added.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC investigation revealed the said offences, which took place between November 2007 and April 2008.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, Leung Wai-him and his two associates rented a unit in a factory building in Tai Kok Tsui, where they prepared and processed bogus sales orders.
Leung Wai-him obtained personal particulars from two unknown persons at $250 to $300 per set, and credit cards of other persons from another unknown person.
Part of the above data was used for preparing 28 bogus sales orders, which were then submitted to PCCW.
In order to pass the verification conducted by the customer service team of PCCW, Leung Wai-him and his associates took turns to answer the calls by posing themselves as the subscribers concerned.
When Leung Wai-him was arrested in April 2008, ICAC officers seized a total of 435 customer copies of sales orders bearing false personal particulars, 290 pre-paid mobile phone SIM cards, three Hong Kong identity cards and 67 credit cards belonging to oth er persons.
The court heard that since early 2008, Wan Wai-lim had purchased from Leung Wai-him five to six sets of customers’ data each month at $200 to $250 per set.
Wan subsequently submitted to PCCW 12 bogus sales orders, all of which contained fictitious information.
Around December 2007, Cheng Wai-mun recommended a friend to join PCCW. Cheng asked Leung Hoi-wai to purchase customers’ particulars from Leung Wai-him at $320 to $400 per set for preparing 13 bogus sales orders in the name of the said friend for submission to PCCW.
As a result of the bogus sales orders, PCCW was caused to issue sales commissions totalling about $47,000 to the defendants, the court was told.
Meanwhile, another former PCCW salesperson Tatsuya Saionji, 21, who was also charged by the ICAC in connection with the case, earlier pleaded guilty to one count of using a false certificate of service in applying for a job from PCCW in 2007. He will be sentenced on August 20, pending a community service order report.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Bernard Yuen, assisted by ICAC officer May Lam.