EIGHTEEN extra charges, including theft, were yesterday laid against a solicitor who had earlier been charged with defrauding a client of more than $1 million.
No pleas have been taken from Choi Sze-fai, 32, who was originally charged by the ICAC with two counts each of theft and uttering a forged document.
Choi now faces a total of 22 charges - 16 of theft, five of uttering a forged document and one of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.
He was originally accused of stealing a total of $918,376, which was owed to Mr Tsui Lap-lung, on June 21, 1991, and July 4, 1991.
He was also charged with uttering a forged document purporting to be a counsel's fee note in respect of a High Court action for $98,000 with intent to defraud between February 22 and March 1, 1990. He was said to have uttered a similar forged document onNovember 29, 1989, for $97,000.
It was alleged yesterday that between October 31, 1990, and May 14, 1991, Choi stole more than $280,000 owed to Leong, Lam and Company.