Man sentenced for disclosing ICAC probe and travel insurance fraud
2021-3-10
A man charged by the ICAC was today (March 10) sentenced to 100 hours of community service at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts for defrauding an insurance company of damaged property claims and disclosing details of the ICAC’s investigation into the case.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent enquiries revealed the offences.
Choi Tsz-wing, 30, former senior counter representative, earlier pleaded guilty to two charges – one of disclosing the details of an investigation, contrary to Section 30(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, and one of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. The prosecution offered no evidence to another charge of conspiracy to defraud against him.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Edward Wong Ching-yu said the court had considered the circumstances of the case, remorse shown by the defendant, his compensation made to the insurance company concerned and his community service order report.
The court heard that in January 2018, the defendant, his girlfriend and two other friends went on a trip to Vietnam. Travel insurance policies were taken out from AXA General Insurance Hong Kong Limited (AXA) for the whole party prior to the trip.
In late February 2018, AXA received the defendant’s claim for the damage of a smartphone and the loss of a pair of sunglasses during the trip. Supporting documents submitted included an invoice purportedly issued by a mobile phone repair shop showing that the smartphone was repaired at $2,700.
The court heard that AXA subsequently approved the claim and paid the defendant $3,480 as compensation by cheque.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the invoice was not issued by the mobile phone repair shop. The defendant obtained blank invoices of the mobile phone repair shop from a friend and fabricated the repair cost.
On December 16, 2019, the defendant, knowing or suspecting that an ICAC investigation into the fraudulent insurance claim was taking place, disclosed to the aforesaid girlfriend, whom by then had become his wife, through mobile phone messages on the same day details of such investigation.
A friend who joined the trip was also charged by the ICAC for making similar fraudulent insurance claims with AXA. Michael Choi Chung-hang, 27, assistant manager, earlier received a 12-month probation order after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance and Section 159G of the Crimes Ordinance.
AXA had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Judy Cheung.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent enquiries revealed the offences.
Choi Tsz-wing, 30, former senior counter representative, earlier pleaded guilty to two charges – one of disclosing the details of an investigation, contrary to Section 30(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, and one of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. The prosecution offered no evidence to another charge of conspiracy to defraud against him.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Edward Wong Ching-yu said the court had considered the circumstances of the case, remorse shown by the defendant, his compensation made to the insurance company concerned and his community service order report.
The court heard that in January 2018, the defendant, his girlfriend and two other friends went on a trip to Vietnam. Travel insurance policies were taken out from AXA General Insurance Hong Kong Limited (AXA) for the whole party prior to the trip.
In late February 2018, AXA received the defendant’s claim for the damage of a smartphone and the loss of a pair of sunglasses during the trip. Supporting documents submitted included an invoice purportedly issued by a mobile phone repair shop showing that the smartphone was repaired at $2,700.
The court heard that AXA subsequently approved the claim and paid the defendant $3,480 as compensation by cheque.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the invoice was not issued by the mobile phone repair shop. The defendant obtained blank invoices of the mobile phone repair shop from a friend and fabricated the repair cost.
On December 16, 2019, the defendant, knowing or suspecting that an ICAC investigation into the fraudulent insurance claim was taking place, disclosed to the aforesaid girlfriend, whom by then had become his wife, through mobile phone messages on the same day details of such investigation.
A friend who joined the trip was also charged by the ICAC for making similar fraudulent insurance claims with AXA. Michael Choi Chung-hang, 27, assistant manager, earlier received a 12-month probation order after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance and Section 159G of the Crimes Ordinance.
AXA had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Judy Cheung.