Ex-property manager charged with false attendance fraud
2019-10-30
A then property manager of a private residential estate has been charged by the ICAC today (October 30) for defrauding its Incorporated Owners (IO) of salaries and bonus totalling about $8,500 by falsifying the attendance records of two security guards.
Lee Yiu-kwan, 61, faces two charges – one of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance; and one of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law and Section 4(2) of the Criminal Jurisdiction Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Friday (November 1) for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, the defendant was the property manager employed by the IO of Westlands Gardens (WG), a private residential estate in Quarry Bay. He was responsible for overseeing WG management office’s daily operation, including recruitment of security guards and verification of their salary payments.
Security guards were required to clock their attendance cards when they reported on and off duty for calculating salary payments and attendance bonuses.
The fraud charge alleges that between July 16 and August 1, 2018, the defendant falsely represented to the IO of WG that his wife took up the post as a night shift security guard and was on duty during the period as shown in the attendance records, and with intent to defraud, induced the IO to pay his wife salary totalling $7,920 which resulted in benefit to her or in prejudice to the IO.
The conspiracy charge alleges that between June 9 and 30, 2018, the defendant conspired together with another night shift security guard to defraud the IO by dishonestly falsely representing that the security guard had been on duty at WG on a 12-hour night shift to induce the IO to pay him salary for the shift and attendance bonus of the month.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the salary for the abovementioned 12-hour shift was $550, while the attendance bonus of $300 was not paid to the security guard.
The IO of WG has 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.
Lee Yiu-kwan, 61, faces two charges – one of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance; and one of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law and Section 4(2) of the Criminal Jurisdiction Ordinance.
The defendant will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Friday (November 1) for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
At the material time, the defendant was the property manager employed by the IO of Westlands Gardens (WG), a private residential estate in Quarry Bay. He was responsible for overseeing WG management office’s daily operation, including recruitment of security guards and verification of their salary payments.
Security guards were required to clock their attendance cards when they reported on and off duty for calculating salary payments and attendance bonuses.
The fraud charge alleges that between July 16 and August 1, 2018, the defendant falsely represented to the IO of WG that his wife took up the post as a night shift security guard and was on duty during the period as shown in the attendance records, and with intent to defraud, induced the IO to pay his wife salary totalling $7,920 which resulted in benefit to her or in prejudice to the IO.
The conspiracy charge alleges that between June 9 and 30, 2018, the defendant conspired together with another night shift security guard to defraud the IO by dishonestly falsely representing that the security guard had been on duty at WG on a 12-hour night shift to induce the IO to pay him salary for the shift and attendance bonus of the month.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the salary for the abovementioned 12-hour shift was $550, while the attendance bonus of $300 was not paid to the security guard.
The IO of WG has 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.