A businessman and senior HSBC banker have been found guilty in a corruption-related case involving nice cars and expensive hotel rooms, which also landed the latter’s mother in hot water.
Together, the trio were convicted at court last week, after Hong Kong’s anti-graft brought a case related to bribes the ex-senior HSBC banker obtained from the businessman, while also prosecuting the former’s mother for tipping her son off about the investigation.
The case centered on dealings between a former vice president of HSBC, 32-year-old Leung Siu-lun, and businessman Mickey Chu Kong, 45, according to a statement released by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
The alleged offenses took place between 2014 and 2016, when Leung handled the credit facilities of Chu’s businesses.
These companies included Alpha Games China Limited (AGCL), of which Chu was the sole director cum shareholder, and Princess Margaret China Limited (PMCL), which he also controlled.
Since August 2013, AGCL and PMCL had obtained credit of about HK$45 million and around HK$2.7 million (US$5.7 million and US$344,000), respectively, from HSBC.
According to the statement, quoting from a hearing at West Kowloon Magistrates Court on Friday, Leung received “rewards” for handling the credit accounts.
These “advantages” included favours like a three-night stay at a hotel in Macao, which cost about HK$3,000 (US$382), and one night of accommodation at a hotel in Guangzhou.
Leung was also given use of a private car, and another luxurious car, from Chu, the court heard. The luxurious car is where Leung’s mother, 57-year-old Tsang Kam-fung, comes into the picture.
Tsang, at the time, was a supervisor of Wilson Parking, where the expensive vehicle was parked.
In investigating the bribery case in May 2016, the ICAC made an enquiry with Wilson Parking regarding records of the car’s stay at a carpark managed by the company.
Aware her son had borrowed the car from Chu, Tsang, suspecting Leung may be the subject of an investigation, tipped him off.
She was found guilty of one count of disclosing the identity of a person being investigated, contrary to Section 30(1)(a) of the POBO.
Leung and Chu were found guilty of two joint charges of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Leung alone was convicted of two charges of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO.
Chu, meanwhile, was found guilty of two charges of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the POBO.
Magistrate Edward Wong Ching-yu adjourned the case to October 5 for mitigation and sentence.
Leung and Chu were remanded in the custody. Tsang was granted bail.
