Consultancy firm operator guilty of $680,000 bribery over HKJC membership application
2019-12-13
An operator of a membership consultancy firm, charged by the ICAC, was today (December 13) convicted at the District Court of conspiracy for members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) to accept a share of a $680,000 bribe for assisting a person in applying for its racing membership.
Vincent Wai Jun-feng, 53, operator of Potential Membership Centre Limited (Potential), was found guilty of one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Judge Mr Gary Lam Kar-yan adjourned the case to December 31 for sentence, and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that at the material times, the defendant was the operator of Potential which assisted its customers to apply for memberships of local clubs, including HKJC membership.
An applicant for the racing membership and/or full membership of the HKJC should obtain an application form from the proposing voting member. The application must be separately proposed and seconded by one voting member and supported by three other individual full or racing members.
The HKJC prohibits its members from soliciting or accepting any advantage for proposing, seconding and supporting a membership application.
The court heard that between May 27 and July 14, 2016, the defendant conspired with a man known as “Mr Mok” and unknown members of the HKJC for those members to accept an unknown sum being part of $680,000 from a person known as “Ming Gor” to provide an application form for racing membership of the HKJC to “Ming Gor”, and to act favourably in proposing, seconding and supporting the application by “Ming Gor” for racing membership of the HKJC.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HKJC, which had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Priscilia Lam, assisted by ICAC officers Winnie Wong and Brian Tse.
Vincent Wai Jun-feng, 53, operator of Potential Membership Centre Limited (Potential), was found guilty of one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Judge Mr Gary Lam Kar-yan adjourned the case to December 31 for sentence, and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that at the material times, the defendant was the operator of Potential which assisted its customers to apply for memberships of local clubs, including HKJC membership.
An applicant for the racing membership and/or full membership of the HKJC should obtain an application form from the proposing voting member. The application must be separately proposed and seconded by one voting member and supported by three other individual full or racing members.
The HKJC prohibits its members from soliciting or accepting any advantage for proposing, seconding and supporting a membership application.
The court heard that between May 27 and July 14, 2016, the defendant conspired with a man known as “Mr Mok” and unknown members of the HKJC for those members to accept an unknown sum being part of $680,000 from a person known as “Ming Gor” to provide an application form for racing membership of the HKJC to “Ming Gor”, and to act favourably in proposing, seconding and supporting the application by “Ming Gor” for racing membership of the HKJC.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HKJC, which had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Priscilia Lam, assisted by ICAC officers Winnie Wong and Brian Tse.