Recent ICAC Cases
A registered electrical worker, charged by the ICAC, was today (October 12) sentenced to two months’ imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, following his earlier guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud for assisting an applicant in falsifying his work experience in the application for registration as an electrical worker with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD).
Chan Kwok-wai, 45, a then registered electrical worker employed by Kam Lok Disco Lighting & Sounds Company Limited (Kam Lok), earlier pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.
In sentencing, Magistrate Ms Amy Chan Wai-mun took a starting point of three months’ imprisonment and reduced the jail term of the defendant to two months having considered his guilty plea.
Any person carrying out electrical works in Hong Kong is required to register with the EMSD as a Registered Electrical Worker. The registration certificate is categorised into five grades, with Grade A (commonly known as Grade A Electrical Work Certificate) being the entry-level qualification. Applicants must have at least five years of work experience in electrical engineering companies, including a minimum of one year working under the supervision of a registered electrical worker, and submit relevant supporting documents for the EMSD’s assessment.
The court heard that a man filed an application with the EMSD for a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate in mid-2021, but was informed by the EMSD that his supporting documents were incomplete, and requested him to submit supplementary work experience proof. The applicant then sought assistance from Chan through the introduction of a friend.
The applicant subsequently submitted supplementary supporting documents, including a proof issued by Chan under the name of Kam Lok without authorization, falsely stating that the applicant was employed by Kam Lok between September 2011 and December 2015 under Chan’s supervision. The applicant was eventually granted a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate, while Chan received $15,000 from the applicant during the application process.
The ICAC launched an investigation after receiving a corruption complaint involving an application for a registered electrician’s licence. Enquiries revealed that Kam Lok had never employed the applicant, and that Chan had never been authorised to certify the reference letter. The applicant, a co-defendant in the same case, 49, was also charged with the same conspiracy to defraud charge. His case was adjourned to November 19 for mention.
The EMSD and Kam Lok rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Keaton Ma.
In a separate case, the ICAC last Friday (October 9) also charged the proprietor of a design firm for allegedly conspiring with an applicant to deceive the EMSD into granting a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate. The case will be brought before Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (October 13).
Ho Chi-bing, 53, sole proprietor of Live Concept Design and Contracting Limited (Live Concept), faces one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law. The charge alleges that between December 2023 and February 2024, the defendant conspired with an applicant to defraud the EMSD by falsely stating that the applicant was employed by Live Concept between November 2016 and November 2023 for installation and maintenance works, thereby inducing the EMSD to approve and issue a Grade A Electrical Work Certificate to the applicant.
Registering as an electrical worker using false work experience undermines the quality of electrical works and compromises public safety. The ICAC has provided corruption prevention recommendations to the EMSD regarding the registration and regulatory procedures for electrical contractors and workers. The EMSD has implemented the recommendations and revoked the certification of the applicant in the cases involved. The ICAC will continue to collaborate with the EMSD to enhance professional integrity in the industry and eradicate malpractices.
The ICAC this morning (October 9) charged a then chairman of a listed company for allegedly accepting HK$20 million in bribes from a shareholder of a Dalian estate developer, in exchange for causing the listed company to acquire a local real estate project at a consideration of RMB440 million. The case will be mentioned at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today.
Zhang Yadong, 58, then chairman of Greentown China Holdings Limited (Greentown China), faces a count of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
The charge alleges that between January 2020 and March 2023, the defendant conspired with a middleman, a shareholder of the Dalian estate developer, the defendant’s son, and others to accept bribes totalling HK$20 million from the shareholder for causing Greentown China to acquire equity interests of the estate developer.
An ICAC investigation revealed that the shareholder had been pitching a Dalian real estate project to Greentown China since 2019. The defendant allegedly solicited bribes from the shareholder through the middleman to facilitate Greentown China’s acquisition of the project at a consideration of RMB440 million. The bribes were suspected to have been deposited into the bank account of the defendant’s son in multiple payments through the middleman.
Greentown China rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC today (September 30) charged a former employee of a cryptocurrency over-the-counter (OTC) trading store for allegedly accepting bribes to secretly divert clients to execute multiple Tether (USDT) transactions with cryptocurrency wallets belonging to others, involving a total transaction volume of nearly HK$9 million within a three-month period.
Hung Pak-hin, 31, then customer service and operations assistant of One Satoshi Trading (Hong Kong) Limited (One Satoshi), faces one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. He was released on bail, pending his appearance at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts for plea on Friday (October 2).
One Satoshi operates several OTC trading stores in Hong Kong, offering fiat-to-crypto buying and selling services. At the time of the alleged offence, the defendant was an employee at the Sheung Shui branch. Responsible for conducting transactions with customers, the defendant was required to use the company’s cryptocurrency wallet during the process.
The charge alleges that between August and November 2023, the defendant accepted bribes from two men for diverting cryptocurrency transactions of the clients of the store, executing them through cryptocurrency wallets provided by the duo. The defendant was reportedly rewarded HK$200 for each day a transaction was successfully facilitated.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that within the three-month period, the defendant allegedly used the cryptocurrency wallets provided by the two men to secretly conduct multiple transactions with clients of the company. The illicit activities involved cash transactions of over 1.1 million USDT, equivalent to nearly HK$9 million.
One Satoshi rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
A former system engineer of a textile company was charged by the ICAC yesterday (September 28) for allegedly concealing conflicts of interest in the procurement of information technology (IT) products worth about $9 million. He had secretly purchased the goods and resold them to the textile company through different suppliers after marking up prices. A relative of the system engineer was also charged for his role in the scam.
Leung Kam-chiu, 33, former system engineer of the IT department of Pacific Textiles Limited (Pacific Textiles), faces four counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. Leung’s relative, Kong Cheuk-man, 34, sole proprietor of Shengguangheng Trading Co., Limited (Shengguangheng), faces one of the fraud charges.
Both defendants have been released on bail, pending their appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts for mention tomorrow (September 30). The prosecution will later apply to transfer the case to the District Court for plea.
The alleged offences occurred between July 2021 and March 2023. At the time, Leung was responsible for procuring IT products for Pacific Textiles and an affiliated company, assisting his supervisors to identify suitable suppliers and obtaining quotations for supervisors’ approval.
During the period, Leung had handled 48 procurements totalling about $9 million. The charges alleged that Leung had falsely represented that the products were supplied by four suppliers, and with intent to defraud, induced Pacific Textiles and its affiliated company to make payments for the goods. The four companies were OX Technology Limited (OX Technology), Shengguangheng and two other suppliers.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that Leung was the sole operator of OX Technology, while Shengguangheng was operated by his relative, Kong. The two other suppliers were operated by his friends. During the process, Leung had never declared any conflicts of interest to Pacific Textiles. Investigation also revealed that Leung had allegedly purchased the products online, and resold them to Pacific Textiles under the names of the four suppliers after marking up the prices of the goods by six per cent to eight per cent for profit.
Pacific Textiles requires its staff members involved in procurement to declare conflicts of interest in writing. However, Leung had never declared his ownership of OX Technology and that the goods were actually supplied by himself. Pacific Textiles rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC recommends that private sector organisations formulate clear guidelines and mechanisms for declaring conflicts of interest. Staff members are reminded to avoid conflicts of interest and to make timely declarations to their employers. Employees who conceal any conflicts of interest in relation to their official duties to benefit themselves or their associates may breach the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance or other criminal laws.
A service provider, charged by the ICAC, was convicted today (September 24) at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts of aiding and abetting another person to commit misconduct in public office (MIPO). He had abetted a then assistant manager of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to divulge confidential tender information, which led to the awarding of an online market platform enhancement project worth over $2.3 million. The then HKTDC assistant manager involved in the case was previously sentenced, following her guilty plea.
Chow Hang-yip, 41, director and shareholder of AF Trinity Technologies Limited (ATTL), was found guilty of one count of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission by another person of the offence of MIPO, contrary to the Common Law and section 89 of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.
Magistrate Mr Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong adjourned the case to October 14 for sentencing and granted Chow bail pending a community service order report.
Co-defendant Leung Sui-ying, then Assistant Business Manager, System & Content Development of the HKTDC, pleaded guilty to one count of MIPO at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on November 21, 2025. She was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.
Between December 2018 and March 2019, the HKTDC conducted an enhancement project for its online market platform – e-Marketplace. Leung was responsible for preparing tender documents and evaluation criteria, as well as identifying service providers. ATTL was one of the service providers invited to bid for the project. It received the highest combined score and was awarded the project, involving payments of over $2.3 million.
Following a corruption complaint, the ICAC launched an investigation and discovered that Chow, a director and shareholder of ATTL, was a friend of Leung. During the bidding process, at the request of Chow, Leung provided him with the contents of tenders submitted by three other service providers, and assisted him in drafting and compiling ATTL’s technical proposal, as well as preparing ATTL’s oral presentation.
The employment contracts and code of conduct of HKTDC staff stipulated that staff members should not disclose any classified information of the HKTDC without authorisation.
The HKTDC rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Stephen Fong, assisted by ICAC officer Gigi Ng.
