Duo admit $1.2m government allowances fraud and perversion
2017-8-15
Two persons, charged by the ICAC, admitted at the District Court today (August 15) that they had defrauded the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch (ISS) of government allowances totalling about $1.2 million by falsely representing as landlords of its service users, while one of them also pleaded guilty to perverting public justice.
Jane Chan, 43, clerk, and Ng Chun-lam, 37, transport worker, each pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Chan further admitted one count of doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to Common Law.
Deputy Judge Ms Amy Chan Wai-mun granted Chan cash bail of $100,000 until a date to be fixed for sentence, and remanded Ng in the custody of the Correctional Services Department until September 6 this year for sentence, pending probation and community service order reports.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that 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).
Between July 31, 2008 and February 20, 2014, Chan falsely represented to ISS that she was the landlord of 27 ASTCs 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.
With intent to defraud, Chan induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges of over $788,000 in total into her bank account.
The court heard that between May 1, 2011 and February 20, 2014, Ng falsely represented to ISS that he was the landlord of 19 ASTCs of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the LIFs which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS.
With intent to defraud, Ng induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges of over $406,000 in total into his bank account.
Chan was arrested by the ICAC on January 15, 2014. On or about 10 days later, Chan visited a premises in Fanling and requested a female tenant to falsely represent to other people that the tenant had leased out to Chan the premises which Chan had in turn sub-let to ASTCs registered with ISS. The tenant turned down the request immediately, the court was told.
ISS had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Winnie Mok, assisted by ICAC officer Victor Lee.
Jane Chan, 43, clerk, and Ng Chun-lam, 37, transport worker, each pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Chan further admitted one count of doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to Common Law.
Deputy Judge Ms Amy Chan Wai-mun granted Chan cash bail of $100,000 until a date to be fixed for sentence, and remanded Ng in the custody of the Correctional Services Department until September 6 this year for sentence, pending probation and community service order reports.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that 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).
Between July 31, 2008 and February 20, 2014, Chan falsely represented to ISS that she was the landlord of 27 ASTCs 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.
With intent to defraud, Chan induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges of over $788,000 in total into her bank account.
The court heard that between May 1, 2011 and February 20, 2014, Ng falsely represented to ISS that he was the landlord of 19 ASTCs of ISS in relation to addresses as stated on the LIFs which were attached with the relevant tenancy agreements and submitted to ISS.
With intent to defraud, Ng induced ISS to release and deposit rental allowances and allowances on utilities charges of over $406,000 in total into his bank account.
Chan was arrested by the ICAC on January 15, 2014. On or about 10 days later, Chan visited a premises in Fanling and requested a female tenant to falsely represent to other people that the tenant had leased out to Chan the premises which Chan had in turn sub-let to ASTCs registered with ISS. The tenant turned down the request immediately, the court was told.
ISS had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Winnie Mok, assisted by ICAC officer Victor Lee.