Court imposes $6m confiscation order on former AAHK Principal Manager charged by ICAC in 3RS Project sub-contracts bribery case
2026-5-7
A former Principal Manager of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), charged by the ICAC, was earlier sentenced to four years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to accepting bribes of about $3.3 million and laundering several million dollars in crime proceeds regarding sub-contracts of the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) at the Hong Kong International Airport. The District Court today (May 7) ordered the confiscation of crime proceeds totalling about $6 million from the former Principal Manager.
Ricky Lee Wing-fai, 51, former Principal Manager of the AAHK, earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and six counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence (commonly known as money-laundering), contrary to section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO). He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment at the District Court on March 24 this year.
Prior to sentencing, the prosecution applied to the court for an order to confiscate Lee’s crime proceeds under section 8 of the OSCO.
Pursuant to the application, District Court Judge Mr Eddie Yip Chor-man today allowed the application and made an order confiscating about $6 million from Lee, including bribes totalling about $3.3 million and other crime proceeds involved. Lee was ordered to satisfy the confiscation order within six months, failing which a default sentence of 47 months shall be imposed.
An ICAC spokesperson noted that the Commission established a dedicated unit in 2010 to deal with the restraint, disclosure and confiscation of criminal assets. The Asset Recovery Office of the Operations Department will continue to pursue confiscation of ill-gotten gains and apply for confiscation orders to deprive criminals of benefiting from crime connected with bribery and related offences.
The court heard that between January 2017 and August 2022, Lee was responsible for managing various works contracts for the 3RS Project, including those for the main reclamation and the new runway. Lee was also authorised to recommend subcontractors to contractors. Lee accepted bribes totalling about $2.5 million from the proprietor of a main reclamation works sub-contractor for the 3RS Project for assisting the latter in securing sub-contracts worth over $110 million.
In addition, Lee accepted $800,000 in bribes from a supplier of sand for reclamation works to assist the latter in securing purchase orders worth over $140 million. Lee also admitted that he had laundered crime proceeds of several million dollars, including the bribes involved in the case.
Three co-defendants were charged with multiple counts of bribery and related offences. The proprietor of a sub-contractor earlier indicated to the court that he would plead guilty to his charges while an employee of the sub-contractor had already pleaded guilty. The case is scheduled for September 7 for mention at the District Court. Yin Kek-kiong, then General Manager of the AAHK, who entered a not guilty plea, will face trial on the same day.
The AAHK rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Matthew Hui, assisted by ICAC officer Keith Kwok.
Ricky Lee Wing-fai, 51, former Principal Manager of the AAHK, earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and six counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence (commonly known as money-laundering), contrary to section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO). He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment at the District Court on March 24 this year.
Prior to sentencing, the prosecution applied to the court for an order to confiscate Lee’s crime proceeds under section 8 of the OSCO.
Pursuant to the application, District Court Judge Mr Eddie Yip Chor-man today allowed the application and made an order confiscating about $6 million from Lee, including bribes totalling about $3.3 million and other crime proceeds involved. Lee was ordered to satisfy the confiscation order within six months, failing which a default sentence of 47 months shall be imposed.
An ICAC spokesperson noted that the Commission established a dedicated unit in 2010 to deal with the restraint, disclosure and confiscation of criminal assets. The Asset Recovery Office of the Operations Department will continue to pursue confiscation of ill-gotten gains and apply for confiscation orders to deprive criminals of benefiting from crime connected with bribery and related offences.
The court heard that between January 2017 and August 2022, Lee was responsible for managing various works contracts for the 3RS Project, including those for the main reclamation and the new runway. Lee was also authorised to recommend subcontractors to contractors. Lee accepted bribes totalling about $2.5 million from the proprietor of a main reclamation works sub-contractor for the 3RS Project for assisting the latter in securing sub-contracts worth over $110 million.
In addition, Lee accepted $800,000 in bribes from a supplier of sand for reclamation works to assist the latter in securing purchase orders worth over $140 million. Lee also admitted that he had laundered crime proceeds of several million dollars, including the bribes involved in the case.
Three co-defendants were charged with multiple counts of bribery and related offences. The proprietor of a sub-contractor earlier indicated to the court that he would plead guilty to his charges while an employee of the sub-contractor had already pleaded guilty. The case is scheduled for September 7 for mention at the District Court. Yin Kek-kiong, then General Manager of the AAHK, who entered a not guilty plea, will face trial on the same day.
The AAHK rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Matthew Hui, assisted by ICAC officer Keith Kwok.