Stealing of $400,000 in scam denied

A manager of two advertising companies swindled her boss out of $400,000 to buy jewellery for herself and to fund her family, a court heard yesterday.

Anna Lee Yongde, 45, pleaded not guilty to 13 charges of theft before Deputy Judge Ernest Lin Kam-hung in the District Court.

The offences took place between May 1995 and January 1996, prosecutor James Kynoch said.

In 1987, William To met Lee and later employed her to manage his two advertising companies, Vision Integrated Communication and Weldon Limited.

Mr Kynoch said Mr To had authorised Lee to issue company cheques and to use the companies' credit card for official purposes.

In late April 1996, Mr To scrutinised the companies' accounts and discovered Lee had written cheques out to herself and her family, the prosecutor said.