Ex-agents in court for fraud and theft over property and lease deals
2018-1-10
Two former property agents appeared at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (January 10) after being charged by the ICAC in two cases for their roles in defrauding and/or stealing commissions amounting to over $170,000 in property and lease transactions.
In the first case, Yuen Wai-kuen, 34, former property agent of Centaline Property Agency Limited (CPA), who was charged on Monday (January 8), faced five charges – two of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance, and three of theft, contrary to Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken today. Magistrate Mr Raymund Chow Chi-wei adjourned the case to February 21 this year for mention.
At the material time, the defendant was a property agent of CPA posted to its Telford Branch. He was responsible for procuring property transactions for CPA’s clients, and was under the duty to report to CPA any property transaction successfully procured by him.
One of the charges alleged that between July 1 and September 14, 2015, the defendant failed to disclose to CPA that a client had signed a form appointing CPA as his agent in the intended purchase of a property in Chun Wah Road, Kowloon and that he had successfully procured the purchase of the property by the client’s girlfriend, and with intent to defraud, induced CPA not to demand from the client payment of a commission of $42,500 for services rendered by CPA with regard to the property, which resulted in prejudice to CPA.
Another charge alleged that between October 17 and December 17, 2014, the defendant failed to report to CPA that he had successfully procured the purchase of a property in Ngau Tau Kok Road, Kowloon by another client, and with intent to defraud, induced CPA not to demand from the client the payment of a commission of $18,000 for services rendered by CPA with regard to the purchase of the property, which resulted in prejudice to CPA.
The third charge alleged that on April 12, 2015, the defendant stole a commission of $5,750 payable to CPA in relation to a lease transaction.
The remaining two charges alleged that between May 12 and December 31, 2015, the defendant stole commissions of $31,600 in total payable to CPA in relation to another property transaction.
In the second case, Lam Yue-hin, 34, former property agent of Hong Kong Property Services (Agency) Limited (HKP), who was also charged on Monday (January 8), faced three charges of theft, contrary to Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken today. Magistrate Raymund Chow Chi-wei adjourned the case to March 7 this year for mention.
At the material time, the defendant was a property agent of HKP posted to its Kowloon Bay Amoy Gardens Branch. He was tasked to procure property transactions for HKP’s clients.
The charges alleged that between June 8 and September 10, 2015, the defendant stole commissions of $73,630 in total payable to HKP in relation to two property transactions.
The defendants in the above two cases were each granted cash bail of $10,000. They were also ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses and report to the Police thrice a week.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
CPA and HKP had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution in the above two cases was today represented by ICAC officer Ronald Chan.
In the first case, Yuen Wai-kuen, 34, former property agent of Centaline Property Agency Limited (CPA), who was charged on Monday (January 8), faced five charges – two of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance, and three of theft, contrary to Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken today. Magistrate Mr Raymund Chow Chi-wei adjourned the case to February 21 this year for mention.
At the material time, the defendant was a property agent of CPA posted to its Telford Branch. He was responsible for procuring property transactions for CPA’s clients, and was under the duty to report to CPA any property transaction successfully procured by him.
One of the charges alleged that between July 1 and September 14, 2015, the defendant failed to disclose to CPA that a client had signed a form appointing CPA as his agent in the intended purchase of a property in Chun Wah Road, Kowloon and that he had successfully procured the purchase of the property by the client’s girlfriend, and with intent to defraud, induced CPA not to demand from the client payment of a commission of $42,500 for services rendered by CPA with regard to the property, which resulted in prejudice to CPA.
Another charge alleged that between October 17 and December 17, 2014, the defendant failed to report to CPA that he had successfully procured the purchase of a property in Ngau Tau Kok Road, Kowloon by another client, and with intent to defraud, induced CPA not to demand from the client the payment of a commission of $18,000 for services rendered by CPA with regard to the purchase of the property, which resulted in prejudice to CPA.
The third charge alleged that on April 12, 2015, the defendant stole a commission of $5,750 payable to CPA in relation to a lease transaction.
The remaining two charges alleged that between May 12 and December 31, 2015, the defendant stole commissions of $31,600 in total payable to CPA in relation to another property transaction.
In the second case, Lam Yue-hin, 34, former property agent of Hong Kong Property Services (Agency) Limited (HKP), who was also charged on Monday (January 8), faced three charges of theft, contrary to Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken today. Magistrate Raymund Chow Chi-wei adjourned the case to March 7 this year for mention.
At the material time, the defendant was a property agent of HKP posted to its Kowloon Bay Amoy Gardens Branch. He was tasked to procure property transactions for HKP’s clients.
The charges alleged that between June 8 and September 10, 2015, the defendant stole commissions of $73,630 in total payable to HKP in relation to two property transactions.
The defendants in the above two cases were each granted cash bail of $10,000. They were also ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses and report to the Police thrice a week.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
CPA and HKP had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution in the above two cases was today represented by ICAC officer Ronald Chan.