Man jailed for bribing bank staff with $100,000 for opening corporate account
2018-10-8
A man, charged by the ICAC, was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment at the Kowloon City Magistracy today (October 8) after admitting that he had offered a bribe of $100,000 to an employee of a bank for assistance in opening a corporate account with the bank.
Xiong Qingsong, 51, a Mainland resident and chief executive officer cum sole director of Zhong Yu International QQ Investment Group Limited (Zhong Yu), pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Ho Chun-yiu said ignorance was not an excuse. The court should impose a custodial sentence on the defendant.
The Magistrate said he reduced the starting point of six months in jail to four months after taking into account the defendant’s guilty plea.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was the chief executive officer cum sole director of Zhong Yu, a company engaged in crude oil trading business.
In late July 2018, DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (DBS Bank) received an online application from the defendant for opening a corporate account for Zhong Yu. The bank assigned a senior relationship manager of its small and medium enterprises branch in Tsim Sha Tsui to handle the application.
In August 2018, the defendant was asked to provide supplementary documents in support of his application. Having examined all the documents submitted by him, the senior relationship manager rejected the application due to insufficient details to prove Zhong Yu’s business.
The court heard that on 17 August 2018, the senior relationship manager received two emails and a text message from the defendant in which he urged the senior relationship manager to assist him in opening a bank account and a sum of HK$100,000 would be given as a reward.
The senior relationship manager reported the matter to her supervisors and DBS Bank referred the case to the ICAC. On August 23, 2018, the defendant was arrested by ICAC officers.
DBS Bank had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officers Ken Chek and Ankie Lam.
Xiong Qingsong, 51, a Mainland resident and chief executive officer cum sole director of Zhong Yu International QQ Investment Group Limited (Zhong Yu), pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Ho Chun-yiu said ignorance was not an excuse. The court should impose a custodial sentence on the defendant.
The Magistrate said he reduced the starting point of six months in jail to four months after taking into account the defendant’s guilty plea.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was the chief executive officer cum sole director of Zhong Yu, a company engaged in crude oil trading business.
In late July 2018, DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (DBS Bank) received an online application from the defendant for opening a corporate account for Zhong Yu. The bank assigned a senior relationship manager of its small and medium enterprises branch in Tsim Sha Tsui to handle the application.
In August 2018, the defendant was asked to provide supplementary documents in support of his application. Having examined all the documents submitted by him, the senior relationship manager rejected the application due to insufficient details to prove Zhong Yu’s business.
The court heard that on 17 August 2018, the senior relationship manager received two emails and a text message from the defendant in which he urged the senior relationship manager to assist him in opening a bank account and a sum of HK$100,000 would be given as a reward.
The senior relationship manager reported the matter to her supervisors and DBS Bank referred the case to the ICAC. On August 23, 2018, the defendant was arrested by ICAC officers.
DBS Bank had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officers Ken Chek and Ankie Lam.