The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) charged a former Correctional Services Department (CSD) assistant with fraud yesterday (March 12), accusing him of concealing personal debts to defraud the CSD Savings and Credit Cooperative and three financial institutions for loans totaling over HK$1.5 million over three years. The investigation was initiated following a corruption complaint referred by the CSD.
The defendant, 49-year-old former Assistant Officer I, faces 17 counts of fraud under Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. He was stationed at the East Kowloon Correctional Institution from September 2020 to September 2023 and applied for loans from the cooperative and several financial institutions during this time.
The charges indicate that the defendant allegedly made false statements when applying for the 17 loans, falsely claiming he had disclosed all his debts on the application forms, which he stated were true, accurate, and complete. He intended to defraud the cooperative for a loan of HK$94,000 and the three financial institutions for an additional 16 loans totaling over HK$94,000 and the three financial institutions for an additional 16 loans totaling over HK$1.42 million, with amounts ranging from HK$50,000 140,000 each.
ICAC's investigation revealed that the defendant did not disclose his outstanding loans when applying for these 17 loans, and had he disclosed all debts, neither the cooperative nor the financial institutions would have approved the loans. It was also found that he has yet to repay part of the loans, with amounts exceeding HK$350,000 still outstanding.
The defendant has been granted bail and is scheduled to appear in Eastern Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (March 14) for a plea.
Related News:
ICAC Deputy Commissioner attends UNODC meeting to foster international anti-corruption collaboration
Comment