Trio in court for $150,000 clubhouse contract fraud
2018-1-17
Three former employees of the management company at a private residential estate appeared in the West Kowloon Magistracy today (January 17) after being charged by the ICAC with fraud in relation to the award of about $150,000 worth of event production contracts of its clubhouse to a company owned by them without disclosing their financial interests in it.
Woo Ka-man, 39, former assistant club manager of Harriman Management Services Limited (Harriman); and Cheung Ka-lai, 30, and Lui Hin-man, 29, both former senior club assistants of Harriman, who were charged on Monday (January 15), faced a joint count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Woo alone faced a similar offence.
No plea was taken today. Magistrate Ms June Cheung Tin-ngan adjourned the case to February 28 for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, Woo, Cheung and Lui were employed by Harriman, the management company of Bellagio, a private residential estate in Sham Tseng, on behalf of the Owners’ Committee (OC) of Bellagio to work for its clubhouse. Woo was the assistant club manager, while Cheung and Lui were senior club assistants who worked under the supervision of Woo.
As employees of Harriman, Woo, Cheung and Lui were under a duty to make full disclosure of any financial interests which they might have in any business or other firm or corporation with which Harriman or the OC of Bellagio had business dealings.
The joint charge alleged that between December 18, 2012 and October 27, 2014, Woo, Cheung and Lui concealed from and failed to disclose to Harriman and the OC of Bellagio of their interests in a company owned by them, and with intent to defraud, induced Harriman to engage the company to provide services to the OC of Bellagio, which resulted in benefit to the company or in prejudice to Harriman or the OC of Bellagio.
The other charge alleged that between March 16 and November 3, 2015, Woo concealed from and failed to disclose to Harriman and the OC of Bellagio of her interests in the company, and with intent to defraud, induced Harriman to engage the company to provide services to the OC of Bellagio, which resulted in benefit to the company or in prejudice to Harriman or the OC of Bellagio.
As a result, the company owned by Woo, Cheung and Lui was awarded seven contracts for organising events and interest classes for the clubhouse of Bellagio, which were said to be worth about $150,000 in total.
Woo, Cheung and Lui were each granted cash bail of $ 5,000, and ordered not to contact prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly.
Harriman and the OC of Bellagio had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Oscar Lau.
Woo Ka-man, 39, former assistant club manager of Harriman Management Services Limited (Harriman); and Cheung Ka-lai, 30, and Lui Hin-man, 29, both former senior club assistants of Harriman, who were charged on Monday (January 15), faced a joint count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Woo alone faced a similar offence.
No plea was taken today. Magistrate Ms June Cheung Tin-ngan adjourned the case to February 28 for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, Woo, Cheung and Lui were employed by Harriman, the management company of Bellagio, a private residential estate in Sham Tseng, on behalf of the Owners’ Committee (OC) of Bellagio to work for its clubhouse. Woo was the assistant club manager, while Cheung and Lui were senior club assistants who worked under the supervision of Woo.
As employees of Harriman, Woo, Cheung and Lui were under a duty to make full disclosure of any financial interests which they might have in any business or other firm or corporation with which Harriman or the OC of Bellagio had business dealings.
The joint charge alleged that between December 18, 2012 and October 27, 2014, Woo, Cheung and Lui concealed from and failed to disclose to Harriman and the OC of Bellagio of their interests in a company owned by them, and with intent to defraud, induced Harriman to engage the company to provide services to the OC of Bellagio, which resulted in benefit to the company or in prejudice to Harriman or the OC of Bellagio.
The other charge alleged that between March 16 and November 3, 2015, Woo concealed from and failed to disclose to Harriman and the OC of Bellagio of her interests in the company, and with intent to defraud, induced Harriman to engage the company to provide services to the OC of Bellagio, which resulted in benefit to the company or in prejudice to Harriman or the OC of Bellagio.
As a result, the company owned by Woo, Cheung and Lui was awarded seven contracts for organising events and interest classes for the clubhouse of Bellagio, which were said to be worth about $150,000 in total.
Woo, Cheung and Lui were each granted cash bail of $ 5,000, and ordered not to contact prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly.
Harriman and the OC of Bellagio had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Oscar Lau.