Ex-restaurant employees charged with fraud and theft after graft probe
2021-6-22
The ICAC today (June 22) charged two former employees of a Chinese restaurant with fraud for allegedly settling bills of various customers with a credit card of one of the duo to gain credit card benefits, and stealing cash from the restaurant by falsely claiming that discounts were given to customers.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Upon legal advice sought from the Department of Justice, a total of 15 charges were preferred against Zou Hong, 45, and Lo Po-yan, 34, respectively former assistant shop manageress and former receptionist employed by Gold Empire Trading Limited (Gold Empire).
Zou and Lo jointly face seven counts of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Lo alone faces five other counts of fraud, while Zou further faces three counts of theft, contrary to Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (June 24) for plea.
At the material time, Gold Empire, a subsidiary of Super Star Group, traded as Empire City Huaiyang or Empire City Chinese Cuisine (the Chinese restaurant) in Wan Chai. Zou, an assistant shop manageress of the Chinese restaurant, was responsible for managing its VIP rooms, while Lo was a receptionist who assisted Zou to serve customers.
Seven of the charges allege that on seven occasions between June 13 and July 10, 2019, Zou and Lo falsely represented to Gold Empire that the patrons of seven transactions had settled their payments by using Lo’s credit card, which resulted in benefit to Lo or in prejudice to Gold Empire.
Five other charges allege that Lo made similar false representation to Gold Empire on five other occasions between April 7 and September 21, 2019.
Lo had allegedly gained credit card benefits by using her own credit card to settle 12 bills totalling over $52,000 incurred by customers of the Chinese restaurant who paid in cash.
The remaining three charges allege that between June 13 and July 10, 2019, Zou stole cash totalling over $300 from Gold Empire.
It is alleged that the suspected stolen sum was equivalent to the discounts purportedly given by Zou to customers in relation to three of the aforesaid bills.
Super Star Group does not allow its employees to use their own credit cards to settle payments for customers and prohibits its staff members from stealing money from the company.
Super Star and Gold Empire have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Upon legal advice sought from the Department of Justice, a total of 15 charges were preferred against Zou Hong, 45, and Lo Po-yan, 34, respectively former assistant shop manageress and former receptionist employed by Gold Empire Trading Limited (Gold Empire).
Zou and Lo jointly face seven counts of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Lo alone faces five other counts of fraud, while Zou further faces three counts of theft, contrary to Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (June 24) for plea.
At the material time, Gold Empire, a subsidiary of Super Star Group, traded as Empire City Huaiyang or Empire City Chinese Cuisine (the Chinese restaurant) in Wan Chai. Zou, an assistant shop manageress of the Chinese restaurant, was responsible for managing its VIP rooms, while Lo was a receptionist who assisted Zou to serve customers.
Seven of the charges allege that on seven occasions between June 13 and July 10, 2019, Zou and Lo falsely represented to Gold Empire that the patrons of seven transactions had settled their payments by using Lo’s credit card, which resulted in benefit to Lo or in prejudice to Gold Empire.
Five other charges allege that Lo made similar false representation to Gold Empire on five other occasions between April 7 and September 21, 2019.
Lo had allegedly gained credit card benefits by using her own credit card to settle 12 bills totalling over $52,000 incurred by customers of the Chinese restaurant who paid in cash.
The remaining three charges allege that between June 13 and July 10, 2019, Zou stole cash totalling over $300 from Gold Empire.
It is alleged that the suspected stolen sum was equivalent to the discounts purportedly given by Zou to customers in relation to three of the aforesaid bills.
Super Star Group does not allow its employees to use their own credit cards to settle payments for customers and prohibits its staff members from stealing money from the company.
Super Star and Gold Empire have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.