Ex-employee of property agency charged with deception over commission
2020-6-3
A former sales trainee of a property agency has been charged by the ICAC today (June 3) with deceiving a first-hand property buyer into paying about $75,000 by falsely representing that the latter was required to pay a commission to the property agency.
Ng Man-ho, 28, then sales trainee of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty), faces two charges – one of obtaining property by deception, contrary to Section 17(1) of the Theft Ordinance; and one of using a false instrument, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (June 5) for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
Between November 2016 and September 2017, the defendant was a sales trainee of Midland Realty posted to a branch in Tuen Mun, but he was not a licensed estate agent.
In about September 2017, the defendant referred a client introduced by a relative to two licensed estate agents of Midland Realty. About a month later, the client purchased a first-hand residential property in Tseung Kwan O at about $7.5 million.
Since the transaction involved a first-hand property, the commission Midland Realty entitled to receive would be paid by the developer and the client concerned was not required to pay any commission.
One of the charges alleges that on or about October 12, 2017, the defendant dishonestly obtained from the aforesaid client about $75,000 with the intention of permanently depriving the client of it by deception.
The defendant is alleged to have falsely represented that a commission of about $75,000 in relation to the abovementioned property was payable to Midland Realty.
The other charge alleges that on October 29, 2017, the defendant used a false instrument, namely a Temporary Receipt purportedly issued by Midland Realty, with the intention of inducing the aforesaid client to accept it as a genuine instrument.
Midland Realty has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance on Friday.
Ng Man-ho, 28, then sales trainee of Midland Realty International Limited (Midland Realty), faces two charges – one of obtaining property by deception, contrary to Section 17(1) of the Theft Ordinance; and one of using a false instrument, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (June 5) for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
Between November 2016 and September 2017, the defendant was a sales trainee of Midland Realty posted to a branch in Tuen Mun, but he was not a licensed estate agent.
In about September 2017, the defendant referred a client introduced by a relative to two licensed estate agents of Midland Realty. About a month later, the client purchased a first-hand residential property in Tseung Kwan O at about $7.5 million.
Since the transaction involved a first-hand property, the commission Midland Realty entitled to receive would be paid by the developer and the client concerned was not required to pay any commission.
One of the charges alleges that on or about October 12, 2017, the defendant dishonestly obtained from the aforesaid client about $75,000 with the intention of permanently depriving the client of it by deception.
The defendant is alleged to have falsely represented that a commission of about $75,000 in relation to the abovementioned property was payable to Midland Realty.
The other charge alleges that on October 29, 2017, the defendant used a false instrument, namely a Temporary Receipt purportedly issued by Midland Realty, with the intention of inducing the aforesaid client to accept it as a genuine instrument.
Midland Realty has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance on Friday.