Ex-chauffeur guilty of bribery over sale of sports car
2018-2-26
A former chauffeur of an interior design company, charged by the ICAC, was today (February 26) convicted at the Shatin Magistracy of soliciting and accepting bribes of $10,000 in relation to the sale of a sports car at an asking price of $1.3 million.
Franco Seto Kin-kwan, 54, former chauffeur of Legend Interiors Limited (Legend), was found guilty of two charges – one of agent soliciting an advantage and one of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Deputy Magistrate Ms Jolie Chao Tsz-kwan adjourned the case until March 19 for sentence, pending background and community service order reports. The defendant was granted bail.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was employed by Legend as a chauffeur. Apart from driving, the defendant was also responsible for handling matters relating to vehicles owned by the director cum sole shareholder of Legend and his wife.
In early June 2014, the director cum sole shareholder of Legend assigned the defendant to follow up on the sale of a sports car at an asking price of $1.3 million.
Having learned that the sports car was on sale, a representative of a car dealer contacted the defendant for an inspection of the car. After inspection, the representative offered to purchase the car at $820,000.
In response, the defendant solicited a “laisee” of an unspecified amount of several thousand dollars from the representative for procuring the sale of the car.
About a week later, the representative increased the offer to $850,000 on the condition that the transfer of the car ownership would not be proceeded with for the time being. The defendant declined it and reported the matter to the director cum sole shareholder of Legend.
The court heard that several days later, the representative agreed to proceed with the transfer of the car ownership, and told the defendant that a “laisee” of $10,000 would be offered to him in return.
The director cum sole shareholder of Legend eventually agreed to sell the sports car to the representative at $850,000, and instructed the defendant to arrange for handing over the car to him.
On June 19, 2014, the ownership of the car was transferred to the car dealer. Several days later, the representative gave a cheque for $10,000 to the defendant, the court was told.
Legend had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Stephen Fong, assisted by ICAC officer Chris Chan.
Franco Seto Kin-kwan, 54, former chauffeur of Legend Interiors Limited (Legend), was found guilty of two charges – one of agent soliciting an advantage and one of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Deputy Magistrate Ms Jolie Chao Tsz-kwan adjourned the case until March 19 for sentence, pending background and community service order reports. The defendant was granted bail.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was employed by Legend as a chauffeur. Apart from driving, the defendant was also responsible for handling matters relating to vehicles owned by the director cum sole shareholder of Legend and his wife.
In early June 2014, the director cum sole shareholder of Legend assigned the defendant to follow up on the sale of a sports car at an asking price of $1.3 million.
Having learned that the sports car was on sale, a representative of a car dealer contacted the defendant for an inspection of the car. After inspection, the representative offered to purchase the car at $820,000.
In response, the defendant solicited a “laisee” of an unspecified amount of several thousand dollars from the representative for procuring the sale of the car.
About a week later, the representative increased the offer to $850,000 on the condition that the transfer of the car ownership would not be proceeded with for the time being. The defendant declined it and reported the matter to the director cum sole shareholder of Legend.
The court heard that several days later, the representative agreed to proceed with the transfer of the car ownership, and told the defendant that a “laisee” of $10,000 would be offered to him in return.
The director cum sole shareholder of Legend eventually agreed to sell the sports car to the representative at $850,000, and instructed the defendant to arrange for handing over the car to him.
On June 19, 2014, the ownership of the car was transferred to the car dealer. Several days later, the representative gave a cheque for $10,000 to the defendant, the court was told.
Legend had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Stephen Fong, assisted by ICAC officer Chris Chan.