Duo charged with $1.64m allowances fraud and perversion
2017-1-9
Two persons have been charged by the ICAC today (January 9) with conspiracy to defraud the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch (ISS) of government allowances totalling over $1.64 million by falsely representing as landlords of its service users, while one of them also faces an offence of perverting public justice.
Jane Chan, 42, clerk, and Ng Chun-lam, 36, transport worker, face a joint count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. They also each face an alternative charge of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.
Chan alone faces one count of doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to Common Law.
The defendants will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Wednesday (January 11) for transfer of the case to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
Since 2006, ISS, a non-governmental organisation, has been entrusted by the Social Welfare Department to provide assistance-in-kind, including rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges, to its service users – asylum seekers and torture claimants (ASTCs).
The joint charge alleges that between July 31, 2008 and February 20, 2014, Chan and Ng conspired together and with a couple and other unknown persons to defraud ISS.
They were alleged to have falsely represented that Chan, Ng and the couple were the respective landlords of service users of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the Landlord Information Forms (LIFs) which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS, thereby causing ISS to release and deposit rental allowances and allowance on utilities charges into the bank accounts of Chan, Ng and the couple.
The rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges in relation to 48 ASTCs, which were allegedly defrauded by Chan and Ng, were said to amount to over $1.64 million.
One of the alternative charges alleges that between July 31, 2008 and February 20, 2014, Chan falsely represented to ISS that she was the landlord of service users of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the LIFs which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS, and with intent to defraud, induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances on utilities charges into her bank account(s), resulting in benefit to Chan or in prejudice to ISS.
Another alternative charge alleges that between May 1, 2011 and February 20, 2014, Ng falsely represented to ISS that he was the landlord of service users of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the LIFs which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS, and with intent to defraud, induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances on utilities charges into his bank account(s), resulting in benefit to Ng or in prejudice to ISS.
The remaining charge alleges that on or about January 25, 2014, Chan, with intent to pervert the course of public justice, approached and incited a woman to falsely represent to other people that she had leased out to Chan a premises in Fanling which Chan had in turn sub-let to service users registered with ISS.
ISS has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Wednesday.
Jane Chan, 42, clerk, and Ng Chun-lam, 36, transport worker, face a joint count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. They also each face an alternative charge of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.
Chan alone faces one count of doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to Common Law.
The defendants will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Wednesday (January 11) for transfer of the case to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
Since 2006, ISS, a non-governmental organisation, has been entrusted by the Social Welfare Department to provide assistance-in-kind, including rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges, to its service users – asylum seekers and torture claimants (ASTCs).
The joint charge alleges that between July 31, 2008 and February 20, 2014, Chan and Ng conspired together and with a couple and other unknown persons to defraud ISS.
They were alleged to have falsely represented that Chan, Ng and the couple were the respective landlords of service users of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the Landlord Information Forms (LIFs) which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS, thereby causing ISS to release and deposit rental allowances and allowance on utilities charges into the bank accounts of Chan, Ng and the couple.
The rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges in relation to 48 ASTCs, which were allegedly defrauded by Chan and Ng, were said to amount to over $1.64 million.
One of the alternative charges alleges that between July 31, 2008 and February 20, 2014, Chan falsely represented to ISS that she was the landlord of service users of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the LIFs which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS, and with intent to defraud, induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances on utilities charges into her bank account(s), resulting in benefit to Chan or in prejudice to ISS.
Another alternative charge alleges that between May 1, 2011 and February 20, 2014, Ng falsely represented to ISS that he was the landlord of service users of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the LIFs which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS, and with intent to defraud, induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances on utilities charges into his bank account(s), resulting in benefit to Ng or in prejudice to ISS.
The remaining charge alleges that on or about January 25, 2014, Chan, with intent to pervert the course of public justice, approached and incited a woman to falsely represent to other people that she had leased out to Chan a premises in Fanling which Chan had in turn sub-let to service users registered with ISS.
ISS has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Wednesday.