Duo charged with $3m school donations fraud and laundering crime proceeds
2016-4-8
A former assistant admissions officer of an international school and her boyfriend have been charged by the ICAC today (Friday) with defrauding and attempting to defraud two parents of donations totalling $3 million in relation to the admission of their children to the school, and laundering the related crime proceeds respectively.
Chu Lau-ying, 26, former assistant admissions officer of Harrow International School (Harrow), faces two charges – one of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance, and one of attempted fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance and 159G of the Crimes Ordinance.
Co-defendant Ng Mei-chuen, 24, leathersmith, faces one count of dealing with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in the Tuen Mun Magistracy next Tuesday (April 12) for mention.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, Chu was an assistant admissions officer of the Hong Kong branch of Harrow, an international school operating classes from kindergarten one to year 13, while Ng was her boyfriend.
One of the charges alleges that between February 29 and March 9, 2016, Chu falsely represented to the parent of a child that Harrow was inviting donations for its Shanghai branch, the money donated or to be donated would be used on its establishment, priority for admission to the Hong Kong branch of Harrow would be given to the child if the parent made a donation, and Ng was a senior officer of Harrow; and with intent to defraud, induced the parent to procure issue of a cheque for $1.5 million payable to Ng.
Another charge alleges that on March 8, 2016, Ng dealt with the $1.5 million, knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the sum of money represented the proceeds of an indictable offence.
The remaining charge alleges that between February 26 and March 18, 2016, Chu falsely represented to the parent of another child that Harrow was inviting donations for its Shanghai branch, the money donated or to be donated would be used on its establishment, and the chance of the child being admitted to the Hong Kong branch of Harrow would be enhanced if the parent made a donation; and with intent to defraud, attempted to induce the parent to transfer $1.5 million to a bank account of Ng.
Harrow has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance next Tuesday.
Chu Lau-ying, 26, former assistant admissions officer of Harrow International School (Harrow), faces two charges – one of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance, and one of attempted fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance and 159G of the Crimes Ordinance.
Co-defendant Ng Mei-chuen, 24, leathersmith, faces one count of dealing with property known or reasonably believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in the Tuen Mun Magistracy next Tuesday (April 12) for mention.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, Chu was an assistant admissions officer of the Hong Kong branch of Harrow, an international school operating classes from kindergarten one to year 13, while Ng was her boyfriend.
One of the charges alleges that between February 29 and March 9, 2016, Chu falsely represented to the parent of a child that Harrow was inviting donations for its Shanghai branch, the money donated or to be donated would be used on its establishment, priority for admission to the Hong Kong branch of Harrow would be given to the child if the parent made a donation, and Ng was a senior officer of Harrow; and with intent to defraud, induced the parent to procure issue of a cheque for $1.5 million payable to Ng.
Another charge alleges that on March 8, 2016, Ng dealt with the $1.5 million, knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the sum of money represented the proceeds of an indictable offence.
The remaining charge alleges that between February 26 and March 18, 2016, Chu falsely represented to the parent of another child that Harrow was inviting donations for its Shanghai branch, the money donated or to be donated would be used on its establishment, and the chance of the child being admitted to the Hong Kong branch of Harrow would be enhanced if the parent made a donation; and with intent to defraud, attempted to induce the parent to transfer $1.5 million to a bank account of Ng.
Harrow has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance next Tuesday.