Intermediary company representative charged by ICAC with bribing bank manager over account opening
2022-10-25
An intermediary company representative was charged by the ICAC today (October 25) for allegedly bribing a bank manager for assisting his clients to open corporate accounts with the bank.
Ho Wing-lun, 36, operator of Global Union Credit Management Limited (GUL) and director cum shareholder of SME (HK) Commercial Development Co. Limited (SCL), faces one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
The defendant will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this Thursday (October 27) for plea.
At the material time, GUL and SCL were intermediary companies which engaged in businesses including providing secretarial services and assisting clients to handle bank account opening applications. In mid-2019, the defendant accompanied a client to apply for opening a corporate account with Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) at a branch in Sheung Wan, and came to know an assistant branch manager.
The charge alleges that on July 12, 2019, the defendant, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered a bribe consisting of $1,000 to $2,500 for each bank account opening application to the above assistant branch manager as an inducement to or reward for assisting clients or persons referred by the defendant in opening bank accounts with BOCHK.
ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant had allegedly told the assistant branch manager that he would offer $1,000 odd for his assistance in each account opening application of a local client, and $2,500 for each application of a non-domestic client. The assistant branch manager declined the defendant’s offer on the spot, and reported the matter to the bank.
BOCHK does not allow its staff to accept advantages for assisting clients in opening bank accounts.
BOCHK has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC reminds business operators not to bribe bank staff in exchange for its services, otherwise it may constitute breaches of the POBO. Business organisations should report to the ICAC immediately should they come across any suspicion of corruption in the organisations. ICAC 24-hour Report Corruption Hotline: 25 266 366.
Ho Wing-lun, 36, operator of Global Union Credit Management Limited (GUL) and director cum shareholder of SME (HK) Commercial Development Co. Limited (SCL), faces one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
The defendant will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this Thursday (October 27) for plea.
At the material time, GUL and SCL were intermediary companies which engaged in businesses including providing secretarial services and assisting clients to handle bank account opening applications. In mid-2019, the defendant accompanied a client to apply for opening a corporate account with Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) at a branch in Sheung Wan, and came to know an assistant branch manager.
The charge alleges that on July 12, 2019, the defendant, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered a bribe consisting of $1,000 to $2,500 for each bank account opening application to the above assistant branch manager as an inducement to or reward for assisting clients or persons referred by the defendant in opening bank accounts with BOCHK.
ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant had allegedly told the assistant branch manager that he would offer $1,000 odd for his assistance in each account opening application of a local client, and $2,500 for each application of a non-domestic client. The assistant branch manager declined the defendant’s offer on the spot, and reported the matter to the bank.
BOCHK does not allow its staff to accept advantages for assisting clients in opening bank accounts.
BOCHK has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC reminds business operators not to bribe bank staff in exchange for its services, otherwise it may constitute breaches of the POBO. Business organisations should report to the ICAC immediately should they come across any suspicion of corruption in the organisations. ICAC 24-hour Report Corruption Hotline: 25 266 366.