Trio charged for alleged $170,000 ASTRI payments fraud
2012-4-2
A former director and a former manager of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) and a proprietor of a technology company have been charged by the ICAC for their alleged roles in defrauding ASTRI of goods p ayments totalling over $170,000.
Li Geng, 51, former research and development director of ASTRI, Joey Chow Cho-yee, 34, former manager of ASTRI; and Louie Leung Lok-koon, 49, proprietor of Osprey Technologies Limited (OTL), who were charged last Friday (March 30), face two charges of con spiracy to defraud.
Li alone faces one count of agent using document with intent to deceive her principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in Shatin Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (April 3) for plea.
ASTRI is a company funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Government.
At the material times, Li and Chow were respectively research and development director and manager of ASTRI’s Bio-Medical Electronics Team, which conducted different research projects.
The conspiracy charges allege that between December 10, 2009 and August 4, 2010, Li, Chow and Leung conspired together to defraud ASTRI.
They are alleged to have dishonestly submitted purchase requisition application forms and quotations issued by OTL with knowledge that OTL would not supply the goods as stated on the quotations. As a result, ASTRI was caused to pay a total of over $173,0 00 to OTL.
The remaining charge alleges that on April 29, 2010, Li used another purchase requisition application form, which contained a false statement that a project required procurement of the software stated in the said form, with intent to deceive ASTRI.
ASTRI had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance tomorrow.
Li Geng, 51, former research and development director of ASTRI, Joey Chow Cho-yee, 34, former manager of ASTRI; and Louie Leung Lok-koon, 49, proprietor of Osprey Technologies Limited (OTL), who were charged last Friday (March 30), face two charges of con spiracy to defraud.
Li alone faces one count of agent using document with intent to deceive her principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in Shatin Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (April 3) for plea.
ASTRI is a company funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Government.
At the material times, Li and Chow were respectively research and development director and manager of ASTRI’s Bio-Medical Electronics Team, which conducted different research projects.
The conspiracy charges allege that between December 10, 2009 and August 4, 2010, Li, Chow and Leung conspired together to defraud ASTRI.
They are alleged to have dishonestly submitted purchase requisition application forms and quotations issued by OTL with knowledge that OTL would not supply the goods as stated on the quotations. As a result, ASTRI was caused to pay a total of over $173,0 00 to OTL.
The remaining charge alleges that on April 29, 2010, Li used another purchase requisition application form, which contained a false statement that a project required procurement of the software stated in the said form, with intent to deceive ASTRI.
ASTRI had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance tomorrow.