Ex-manager of interior design firm charged as ICAC probe reveals fraud and theft involving $4.6m
2022-6-9
A former manager of an interior design and renovation company was charged by the ICAC yesterday (June 8) with defrauding the company of and stealing from it a total of over $4.6 million.
The investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Upon completion of the investigation, the ICAC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised charges be laid against the defendant.
Amy Mak Man-yee, 43, former administration and account manager of Hei Design Limited (Hei Design), faces a total of 19 charges – nine of fraud and 10 of theft, respectively contrary to Section 16A and Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendant was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (June 10) for mention, and the case will be transferred to the District Court.
At the material time, the defendant was responsible for Hei Design’s daily accounting work, including preparing cheques for her employer, the operator of Hei Design, to sign so as to arrange payments to its suppliers and contractors.
The fraud charges allege that on nine occasions between April 2017 and August 2019, the defendant falsely represented to her employer that the cheques she prepared were payable to a furniture supplier and two decoration contractors to settle payments for purchase orders that the company had placed with them, and with intent to defraud, induced her employer to sign on 30 cheques.
ICAC investigation revealed that the 30 cheques involved sums totalling over $2.8 million. They were allegedly deposited into the defendant’s own bank accounts or used to pay decoration and furniture purchase fees for two companies of the defendant.
The theft charges allege that between January 2018 and March 2019, the defendant stole from Hei Design 10 sums of money totalling about $1.8 million.
It is revealed in the ICAC investigation that the above sums were allegedly deposited into a bank account of the defendant by means of 10 cheques, each ranging from about $76,000 to $210,000. The defendant’s employer was the sole signatory of all bank accounts of the company, but the 10 cheques were not signed by him.
Hei Design has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Upon completion of the investigation, the ICAC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised charges be laid against the defendant.
Amy Mak Man-yee, 43, former administration and account manager of Hei Design Limited (Hei Design), faces a total of 19 charges – nine of fraud and 10 of theft, respectively contrary to Section 16A and Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendant was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (June 10) for mention, and the case will be transferred to the District Court.
At the material time, the defendant was responsible for Hei Design’s daily accounting work, including preparing cheques for her employer, the operator of Hei Design, to sign so as to arrange payments to its suppliers and contractors.
The fraud charges allege that on nine occasions between April 2017 and August 2019, the defendant falsely represented to her employer that the cheques she prepared were payable to a furniture supplier and two decoration contractors to settle payments for purchase orders that the company had placed with them, and with intent to defraud, induced her employer to sign on 30 cheques.
ICAC investigation revealed that the 30 cheques involved sums totalling over $2.8 million. They were allegedly deposited into the defendant’s own bank accounts or used to pay decoration and furniture purchase fees for two companies of the defendant.
The theft charges allege that between January 2018 and March 2019, the defendant stole from Hei Design 10 sums of money totalling about $1.8 million.
It is revealed in the ICAC investigation that the above sums were allegedly deposited into a bank account of the defendant by means of 10 cheques, each ranging from about $76,000 to $210,000. The defendant’s employer was the sole signatory of all bank accounts of the company, but the 10 cheques were not signed by him.
Hei Design has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.