Ex-employees of finance company jailed for illegal rebates scam
2014-11-19
Two former employees of a finance company, charged by the ICAC, were today (Wednesday) sent to jail at the Fanling Magistracy for offering and accepting illegal rebates respectively in relation to loan applicant referrals.
Leung Ka-wai, 39, former branch supervisor of PrimeCredit Limited (PCL), was jailed for five months, while Lee Wai-yin, 30, former direct sales individual of PCL, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.
In passing sentences, Principal Magistrate Ms Bernadette Woo Huey-fang said the offences committed by Leung and Lee constituted a breach of trust.
The magistrate added that offering and accepting illegal rebates were equally serious, and such offences must be dealt with in a serious manner.
Leung and Lee earlier pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Leung further admitted one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO, and one count of dishonest access to computer, contrary to Section 161(1)(c) of the Crimes Ordinance; while Lee pleaded guilty to one count of offer ing an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the POBO.
The court heard that at the material time, Leung was a supervisor of Tai Po branch of PCL, a licensed money lender in Hong Kong. He was responsible for the daily supervision of the works of direct sales individuals.
Posted to the Sheung Shui branch of PCL, Lee was tasked to make cold calls to promote its money lending business, and assigned with a monthly sales quota. Upon every successful promotion of a loan product, she was paid a commission by PCL.
In early 2012, Leung referred to Lee a customer, who successfully obtained a personal loan of about $200,000 from PCL. After receiving her commission from PCL, Lee gave an illegal rebate of $1,200 to Leung as a reward for the referral.
The court heard that in April 2013, Leung agreed to provide Lee with the personal particulars of potential customers, so that Lee could source loan applicants to meet her monthly sales quota. As a result, four customers obtained loans totalling $830,000 from PCL.
After receiving her commissions from PCL, Lee offered illegal rebates totalling $6,550 to Leung as rewards for referring those customers to her. Leung accepted them.
Leung also made access to the computer system of PCL, and retrieved the personal data of various loan applicants without authorisation. Afterwards, he e-mailed those data to Lee and other persons, the court was told.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Tim So.
Leung Ka-wai, 39, former branch supervisor of PrimeCredit Limited (PCL), was jailed for five months, while Lee Wai-yin, 30, former direct sales individual of PCL, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.
In passing sentences, Principal Magistrate Ms Bernadette Woo Huey-fang said the offences committed by Leung and Lee constituted a breach of trust.
The magistrate added that offering and accepting illegal rebates were equally serious, and such offences must be dealt with in a serious manner.
Leung and Lee earlier pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Leung further admitted one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO, and one count of dishonest access to computer, contrary to Section 161(1)(c) of the Crimes Ordinance; while Lee pleaded guilty to one count of offer ing an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the POBO.
The court heard that at the material time, Leung was a supervisor of Tai Po branch of PCL, a licensed money lender in Hong Kong. He was responsible for the daily supervision of the works of direct sales individuals.
Posted to the Sheung Shui branch of PCL, Lee was tasked to make cold calls to promote its money lending business, and assigned with a monthly sales quota. Upon every successful promotion of a loan product, she was paid a commission by PCL.
In early 2012, Leung referred to Lee a customer, who successfully obtained a personal loan of about $200,000 from PCL. After receiving her commission from PCL, Lee gave an illegal rebate of $1,200 to Leung as a reward for the referral.
The court heard that in April 2013, Leung agreed to provide Lee with the personal particulars of potential customers, so that Lee could source loan applicants to meet her monthly sales quota. As a result, four customers obtained loans totalling $830,000 from PCL.
After receiving her commissions from PCL, Lee offered illegal rebates totalling $6,550 to Leung as rewards for referring those customers to her. Leung accepted them.
Leung also made access to the computer system of PCL, and retrieved the personal data of various loan applicants without authorisation. Afterwards, he e-mailed those data to Lee and other persons, the court was told.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Tim So.