Estate Surveyor of HD and husband charged with $4.8m housing allowances fraud
2018-7-11
An Estate Surveyor of the Housing Department (HD) and her husband have been charged by the ICAC today (July 11) with fraud by using false declarations and statements to deceive Private Tenancy Allowances (PTA) totalling over $4.8 million from the Government for over 17 years.
Wong Shuk-chun, 59, Estate Surveyor of the HD, and her husband Luk Tung-choi, 56, department manager of a computer company, face a joint charge of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in the Eastern Magistracy on Friday (July 13) for transfer to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a complaint referred by the Treasury. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, Wong was the Estate Surveyor of the HD. She joined the HD in 1980 and was eligible for PTA since 1995 after getting married, subject to the rule against double housing benefit.
The charge alleges that between March 23, 2000 and July 25, 2017, Wong and Luk dishonestly and falsely represented in nine “Statements on Housing and Housing Related Benefits Received by an Officer/His Spouse” that Luk had not received any assistance for purchasing a property or renting an accommodation or cash allowance from his employer, and with intent to defraud, induced the Government to grant housing allowances in the total sum of over $4.8 million to Wong, which resulted in benefit to Wong or prejudice to the Government.
ICAC enquiries revealed that Luk had been receiving a monthly housing allowance, ranging from $800 to $7,500, under the housing assistance plan provided by his employer since 1989.
The Treasury, the HD and Luk’s employer have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Friday.
Wong Shuk-chun, 59, Estate Surveyor of the HD, and her husband Luk Tung-choi, 56, department manager of a computer company, face a joint charge of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendants will appear in the Eastern Magistracy on Friday (July 13) for transfer to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a complaint referred by the Treasury. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, Wong was the Estate Surveyor of the HD. She joined the HD in 1980 and was eligible for PTA since 1995 after getting married, subject to the rule against double housing benefit.
The charge alleges that between March 23, 2000 and July 25, 2017, Wong and Luk dishonestly and falsely represented in nine “Statements on Housing and Housing Related Benefits Received by an Officer/His Spouse” that Luk had not received any assistance for purchasing a property or renting an accommodation or cash allowance from his employer, and with intent to defraud, induced the Government to grant housing allowances in the total sum of over $4.8 million to Wong, which resulted in benefit to Wong or prejudice to the Government.
ICAC enquiries revealed that Luk had been receiving a monthly housing allowance, ranging from $800 to $7,500, under the housing assistance plan provided by his employer since 1989.
The Treasury, the HD and Luk’s employer have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Friday.