Hong Kong resident jailed for conspiracy to defraud, making false statutory declaration and conspiracy to obtain services by deception
A Hong Kong male resident charged with two counts of conspiracy to defraud, one count of making a false statutory declaration and one count of conspiracy to obtain services by deception, was convicted and sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment by Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (June 11).
The Outside Investigation Section of the Immigration Department (ImmD) through intelligence analysis suspected the 34-year-old Hong Kong male residentdefendant had contracted two bogus marriages with two Mainland resident females. The defendant was found to have married the first Mainlander female in Hong Kong in 2017. The said female later obtained a Confirmation Certificate on Delivery Booking from a local private hospital for delivery services in Hong Kong. The said female attempted to enter Hong Kong for delivery in November of the same year. Due to doubts on the marital relationship between her and the defendant, she was refused permission to land by the ImmD and subsequently gave birth on the Mainland. After the defendant subsequently divorced the first female, he contracted a marriage with another Mainland resident female on the Chinese Mainland in 2021.
During the follow-up investigation by the ImmD, the defendant was subsequently arrested, the defendant under caution admitted that he was paid a total of about $40,000 as a monetary reward to contract bogus marriages with two Mainland resident females in order to assist them to obtain visit endorsements and residency status in Hong Kong. The defendant also admitted that he knowingly made a false statutory declaration at a District Office, claiming to be the father of the expected child of the first Mainland resident female even though he knew that the expectant baby was not born to him, in order to assist the Mainlander female to obtain a Confirmation Certificate on Delivery Booking for delivery in Hong Kong. The investigation of other suspects is still underway, and the ImmD does not rule out the possibility of further arrests.
"The ImmD is concerned about the situation of non-local pregnant women seeking to give birth in Hong Kong by illegal means. While great efforts are made to intercept non-local pregnant women without a confinement booking at the control points, vigorous enforcement actions have also been taken to combat related immigration offences committed by non-local pregnant women and their abettors. Furthermore, the ImmD will continue to spare no effort in combating bogus marriages. For people who have obtained their residency in Hong Kong by fraudulent means, their Hong Kong identity card and residence status will be invalidated according to the laws of Hong Kong. They will also be subject to removal back to their place of origin," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
"According to the Immigration Ordinance, any person who makes any statement or representation which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true to immigration officers commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution, and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and the same penalties. Conspiracy to defraud is a serious offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction, under the Crimes Ordinance, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years. Moreover, under the Crimes Ordinance, a person who knowingly and willfully makes a false statutory declaration shall be liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to the maximum penalty of imprisonment for two years. Under the Theft Ordinance, a person who by any deception dishonestly obtains services from another shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to the maximum penalty of imprisonment for 10 years," the ImmDspokesman warned.
Source: AI-found images
