Duo in court over bribery and $1.5m contracts fraud

2018-6-5

A former merchandiser and a former contractor of a sportswear company appeared in the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (June 5) after being charged by the ICAC with respectively defrauding the company of $1.5 million worth of visual advertising contracts and using a copy of a false reference letter to get employment from it, and bribing the former merchandiser to secure its contract.

The defendants, who were charged last Wednesday (May 30), were Wong Ying-kit, 38, former visual merchandiser of K-Swiss (Hong Kong) Limited (K-Swiss) and also sole proprietor of Vocargo Advertising Company (VAC), and Kwok Chi-kin, 35, director cum shareholder of Tailor Made Creation Limited (TMC).

Wong faced two charges – one of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance, and one of using a copy of a false instrument, contrary to Section 74 of the Crimes Ordinance, while Kwok faced a charge of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

No plea was taken today. Magistrate Mr Raymund Chow Chi-wei transferred the case to the District Court for plea on June 26, and granted Wong and Kwok cash bail of $20,000 and $7,000 respectively.

At the material time, Wong was a visual merchandiser of K-Swiss, a sportswear company. While being employed by K-Swiss between September 2012 and September 2015, he was responsible for designing and coordinating its visual advertising works. Prior to his employment with K-Swiss, he set up VAC, which specialised in advertising production. Kwok was a director and shareholder of TMC, a contractor of K-Swiss.

One of the charges alleged that between September 8, 2012 and October 30, 2015, Wong failed to disclose to K-Swiss his interests in VAC while he was an employee of the company, and with intent to defraud, induced K-Swiss to award contract works to VAC, which resulted in benefit to him or prejudice to K-Swiss.

ICAC enquiries revealed that 184 visual advertising contracts worth over $1.5 million were awarded to VAC.

Another charge alleged that on August 17, 2012, Wong used a copy of a false letter issued by VAC, with the intention of inducing K-Swiss to accept it as a copy of a genuine instrument. As a result, K-Swiss employed him as visual merchandiser.

The remaining charge alleged that on December 5, 2014, Kwok, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered $7,000 to Wong as a reward for engaging Kwok to carry out works for K-Swiss.

K-Swiss had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer William Leung.
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