Ex-property manager charged with $538,000 cleaning contract and salary fraud
2019-2-27
A former property manager of a commercial and industrial building has been charged by the ICAC today (February 27) with inducing the Incorporated Owners (IO) of the building to pay over $517,000 as service fee to a company owned by him as a result of a false cleaning contract, using the false contract to open a corporate bank account, and attempting to induce the IO to pay him $21,000 as his salary.
Lau Koon-hing, 65, former property manager of Hopeful Factory Centre (Hopeful), faces four charges – two of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance; one of attempted fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance and Section 159G of the Crimes Ordinance; and one of using a false instrument, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the Shatin Magistracy on Friday (March 1) for transfer to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, the defendant was employed as Property Manager by the IO of Hopeful, a commercial and industrial building in Fo Tan, to oversee its property management matters.
On February 1, 2015, the defendant established Chun Wen Environmental Service Company (Chun Wen), of which he was the owner. He engaged Chun Wen to provide Hopeful with cleaning service in the same month.
One of the charges alleges that in April 2017, the defendant falsely represented that his monthly salary was $21,000, and with intent to defraud, attempted to induce the IO of Hopeful to pay him the sum of $21,000, which would result in benefit to him or prejudice to the IO.
Another charge alleges that between January 1, 2006 and March 27, 2017, the defendant, falsely overstated the amounts of his monthly salary, and with intent to defraud, induced the IO of Hopeful to make payments for the overstated amounts to him, which resulted in benefit to him or prejudice to the IO.
The third charge alleges that between February 1, 2015 and May 4, 2017, the defendant failed to disclose to the IO of Hopeful that he was the owner of Chun Wen whilst he was an employee of the IO, and with intent to defraud, induced the IO to pay a total sum of over $517,000 as service fee to Chun Wen, which resulted in benefit to him or prejudice to the IO.
The remaining charge alleges that on March 3, 2015, the defendant used a false contract purportedly entered between Hopeful and Chun Wen with the intention of inducing the staff members of a bank to accept it as genuine.
Believing that the contract was genuine, the bank approved the defendant’s application for opening a corporate account in the name of Chun Wen.
The IO of Hopeful and the bank have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance on Friday.
Lau Koon-hing, 65, former property manager of Hopeful Factory Centre (Hopeful), faces four charges – two of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance; one of attempted fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance and Section 159G of the Crimes Ordinance; and one of using a false instrument, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the Shatin Magistracy on Friday (March 1) for transfer to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, the defendant was employed as Property Manager by the IO of Hopeful, a commercial and industrial building in Fo Tan, to oversee its property management matters.
On February 1, 2015, the defendant established Chun Wen Environmental Service Company (Chun Wen), of which he was the owner. He engaged Chun Wen to provide Hopeful with cleaning service in the same month.
One of the charges alleges that in April 2017, the defendant falsely represented that his monthly salary was $21,000, and with intent to defraud, attempted to induce the IO of Hopeful to pay him the sum of $21,000, which would result in benefit to him or prejudice to the IO.
Another charge alleges that between January 1, 2006 and March 27, 2017, the defendant, falsely overstated the amounts of his monthly salary, and with intent to defraud, induced the IO of Hopeful to make payments for the overstated amounts to him, which resulted in benefit to him or prejudice to the IO.
The third charge alleges that between February 1, 2015 and May 4, 2017, the defendant failed to disclose to the IO of Hopeful that he was the owner of Chun Wen whilst he was an employee of the IO, and with intent to defraud, induced the IO to pay a total sum of over $517,000 as service fee to Chun Wen, which resulted in benefit to him or prejudice to the IO.
The remaining charge alleges that on March 3, 2015, the defendant used a false contract purportedly entered between Hopeful and Chun Wen with the intention of inducing the staff members of a bank to accept it as genuine.
Believing that the contract was genuine, the bank approved the defendant’s application for opening a corporate account in the name of Chun Wen.
The IO of Hopeful and the bank have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance on Friday.