Company proprietor in court over $2.3m expenses reimbursement fraud
2016-12-20
A proprietor of a public relations company appeared in the Eastern Magistracy today (December 20) after being charged by the ICAC with defrauding a fashion company of reimbursement of expenses totalling over $2.3 million.
Wai Hiu-may, 42, proprietor of Studio Bianco (SB) and director-cum-shareholder of Nube (HK) Limited (Nube), who was charged last Friday (December 16), faced a total of 19 counts of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken. Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Jason Wan Siu-ming transferred the case to the District Court for plea on January 10 next year, and granted the defendant cash bail of $200,000.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At all material time, the defendant was a director-cum-shareholder of Nube providing public relations service in the name of SB, which was retained by MCM Fashion Group (MCM) as its public relations agent at a monthly fee. Apart from the monthly fee, SB could claim reimbursement of expenses from MCM with supporting documents.
The charges alleged that between April 27, 2011 and January 23, 2014, the defendant falsely represented to MCM that SB had respectively engaged and paid for services provided by 19 companies to MCM as shown on documents of those companies, including invoices, quotations, contracts, receipts, a debit note and an artiste performance confirmation.
It was alleged that the defendant, with intent to defraud, induced MCM to reimburse SB with the total amount of over $2.3 million as stated on those documents, which resulted in benefit to the defendant or in prejudice to MCM.
MCM had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Pan Pan.
Wai Hiu-may, 42, proprietor of Studio Bianco (SB) and director-cum-shareholder of Nube (HK) Limited (Nube), who was charged last Friday (December 16), faced a total of 19 counts of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken. Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Jason Wan Siu-ming transferred the case to the District Court for plea on January 10 next year, and granted the defendant cash bail of $200,000.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At all material time, the defendant was a director-cum-shareholder of Nube providing public relations service in the name of SB, which was retained by MCM Fashion Group (MCM) as its public relations agent at a monthly fee. Apart from the monthly fee, SB could claim reimbursement of expenses from MCM with supporting documents.
The charges alleged that between April 27, 2011 and January 23, 2014, the defendant falsely represented to MCM that SB had respectively engaged and paid for services provided by 19 companies to MCM as shown on documents of those companies, including invoices, quotations, contracts, receipts, a debit note and an artiste performance confirmation.
It was alleged that the defendant, with intent to defraud, induced MCM to reimburse SB with the total amount of over $2.3 million as stated on those documents, which resulted in benefit to the defendant or in prejudice to MCM.
MCM had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Pan Pan.