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| The syndicate secured FDH employment for Filipinos and Indonesians using fake documents |
The director of an employment agency was sentenced to 43
months imprisonment in the District Court on Friday, May 29, for fake jobs for
Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers in Hong Kong .
The 43-year-old resident who was not named in a government
press release, was convicted of three counts of conspiracy to defraud and five
counts of using false instruments.
The 17 foreign domestic helpers involved in the case were
earlier sentenced to up to eight months’ jail after being convicted in Shatin
magistrates court on charges of conspiracy to defraud, making false
representation to an immigration officer and breach of condition of stay.
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The statement said the fraud was discovered during an investigation
of a case in which FDHs were suspected of working in Hong
Kong illegally.
Immigration investigators identified the agency as the one
that was arranging for the Filipino and Indonesian nationals to apply for
employment visas in Hong Kong by using falsified
employment contracts.
The crackdown was part of an Immigration operation codenamed
Operation Shadowcatcher which began in March 2018. More than 30 people,
including the mastermind, other Hong Kong
residents and Filipino and Indonesian nationals on FDH visas were arrested in
the operation.
In addition, a huge cache of fake documents were used,
including forged bank statements, telecommunications service and water bills.
The investigation is continuing.
On Jul 26 last year, a Filipina owner of an employment
agency was jailed for two years for the same offense of arranging fake FDH
visas.
Mila Osias, owner of the defunct D’Sun Employment Agency in
Hung Hom, was convicted at the District Court on charges of forgery and
conspiracy to defraud.
Arrested along with her were four other Hong
Kong residents and nine Filipinos who had applied for FDH visas
using falsified residential and financial proofs.
Investigators discovered Osias used unlawfully obtained Hong
Kong ID card copies and false salary and residential proof, such as forged bank
statements, electricity and gas bills, as well as telecoms service and pay-TV
service bills to apply for FDH working visas.
Today’s press statement warned that those convicted of making, possessing or using false instruments are liable to imprisonment of up to 14 years. The same sentence applies to those found guilty of conspiracy to defraud.
Those who make false representation to an immigration officer could be jailed for up to 14 years, and fined up to $150,000.
FDHs who do illegal work would also be prosecuted and if convicted, sentenced to imprisonment of up to years, and fined a maximum of $50,000.
Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution.
The press statement warned that those convicted of making, possessing or using false instruments are liable to imprisonment of up to 14 years. The same sentence applies to those found guilty of conspiracy to defraud.
