New | Pair convicted for posing as liaison office representatives

Two men who posed as representatives from the central government’s liaison office to cheat eight businessmen and a Feng Shui master out of a total of more than HK$300,000 were convicted of fraud on Thursday.

Wong Ho-Kay, 56, the mastermind behind a series of scams lasting one year from September 2012, pleaded guilty to nine charges of fraud and one of perverting the course of justice. Accomplice Eric Ho Kwok-wai, 43, was found guilty of one count of fraud.

The District Court heard that Wong, going by the name “Michael Chung”, claimed to be a representative of the liaison office with the authority to publish official books and publications on major current affairs topics such as the 15th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China.

Prosecutor Jeff Ho said Wong’s usual tactic was to invite his victims to an interview with his “official” publications and then ask them to pay an advertisement fee.

Ho was responsible for going as the reporter and conducting the interviews. The pair would suggest them place advertisements in the publications, saying this could promote their business, and then request a fee, the court heard.

Feng Shui master James Lee Shing-chak, Wong’s first victim, paid him HK$24,000, while food importer Ellis Wong Wai-hung of Kiu Fung Hong lost HK$129,000, the court heard.