Freelance agent charged with offering $4.9m illegal commissions to secure business
2016-12-12
A freelance agent of three companies has been charged by the ICAC with offering illegal commissions totalling over $4.9 million to a then manager of a toy manufacturing firm to secure business.
Ricky Ho Po-wah, 45, who was charged last Friday (December 9), faces four counts of offering advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the Kowloon City Magistracy tomorrow (December 13) for transfer of the case to the District Court for plea.
Fotorama (Hong Kong) Limited (Fotorama Hong Kong), a toy manufacturing firm, placed orders with different suppliers on behalf of its parent company in Mexico and subsidiaries.
At the material time, the defendant was a freelance agent of three suppliers of Fotorama Hong Kong, namely an electronics supplier, a printing supplier and a toy manufacturing supplier.
One of the charges alleges that between an unknown day in 2011 and April 30, 2013, the defendant, together with two other persons, offered commissions of over $362,000 to a manager of Fotorama Hong Kong as a reward for assisting the electronics supplier in securing business from Fotorama Hong Kong, the toy manufacturing supplier and another toy manufacturer.
Another charge alleges that between an unknown day in 2011 and March 31, 2015, the defendant, together with another person, offered commissions of over $1.13 million to the manager of Fotorama Hong Kong as a reward for assisting the printing supplier in securing business from Fotorama Hong Kong, the toy manufacturing supplier and that toy manufacturer.
A third charge alleges that on September 16, 2015, the defendant, together with another person, offered a commission of around $245,000 to the manager of Fotorama Hong Kong as a reward for assisting the toy manufacturing supplier in securing business from Fotorama Hong Kong.
The remaining charge alleges that between an unknown day in 2012 and July 10, 2015, the defendant, together with that person, offered commissions of over $3.2 million to the manager of Fotorama Hong Kong for the same purpose.
Fotorama Hong Kong has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance tomorrow.
Ricky Ho Po-wah, 45, who was charged last Friday (December 9), faces four counts of offering advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the Kowloon City Magistracy tomorrow (December 13) for transfer of the case to the District Court for plea.
Fotorama (Hong Kong) Limited (Fotorama Hong Kong), a toy manufacturing firm, placed orders with different suppliers on behalf of its parent company in Mexico and subsidiaries.
At the material time, the defendant was a freelance agent of three suppliers of Fotorama Hong Kong, namely an electronics supplier, a printing supplier and a toy manufacturing supplier.
One of the charges alleges that between an unknown day in 2011 and April 30, 2013, the defendant, together with two other persons, offered commissions of over $362,000 to a manager of Fotorama Hong Kong as a reward for assisting the electronics supplier in securing business from Fotorama Hong Kong, the toy manufacturing supplier and another toy manufacturer.
Another charge alleges that between an unknown day in 2011 and March 31, 2015, the defendant, together with another person, offered commissions of over $1.13 million to the manager of Fotorama Hong Kong as a reward for assisting the printing supplier in securing business from Fotorama Hong Kong, the toy manufacturing supplier and that toy manufacturer.
A third charge alleges that on September 16, 2015, the defendant, together with another person, offered a commission of around $245,000 to the manager of Fotorama Hong Kong as a reward for assisting the toy manufacturing supplier in securing business from Fotorama Hong Kong.
The remaining charge alleges that between an unknown day in 2012 and July 10, 2015, the defendant, together with that person, offered commissions of over $3.2 million to the manager of Fotorama Hong Kong for the same purpose.
Fotorama Hong Kong has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance tomorrow.