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| Tainted money laundered through banks is withdrawn using ATM cards (File photo) |
A Filipina who used to work as a domestic helper appeared unrepresented in District Court on Thursday, charged with laundering a total of about HK$6.45 million using eight different bank accounts.
Vermadel P.Canonero, 48 years old, is also accused of overstaying her visa for about four months, until her arrest in March last year.
District Judge Stanley Chan adjourned the case until April 28, and remanded the Filipina in jail until then.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The charges against Canonero show what appears to be the longest money laundering activity ever linked to a foreign domestic worker, spanning a period of more than two years, or from Apr 16, 2022 to Nov. 13, 2024. The total amount involved was HK$6,448,441.26
She allegedly opened her first bank account with Mox Bank on Apr 16, 2022, and kept it active until July 13, 2024. During that period, tainted money totaling $3,053,717.57 allegedly passed through the account.
The second charge involves a ZA Bank account in her name, where a total of $775,475.86 in illicit money was allegedly funneled between Nov. 23 2023 and Jun 9, 2024.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Between Mar 4, 2024 and Apr 22, 2024, she is
also accused of allowing an account in her name at digital services company HKT Payment Ltd to be
used in laundering a total of $766,823.34.
Between Mar 27, 2024 and Nov. 13, 2024,
another account in her name with China Citic Bank was allegedly used to launder
a total of $261,626.80.
Between Mar 25, 2024 and Jul 5, 2024 she also
allegedly caused a total of $536,919.61 to be laundered in her account with Airstar
Bank, Ltd.
Between Apr 8 and 18, 2024, she also allegedly
used her account with Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation to launder
$229,300.
Between Apr 8, 2024 and Jul 4, 2024 she is
charged with laundering a total of $345,000 using her account with Bank of
China.
Finally, she is accused of using her Livi Bank
account to launder a total of $479,548.09 between May 22, 2024 and Aug 12,
2024.
A ninth charge pertains to her alleged breach
of her visa condition by overstaying. She was said to have been permitted to
remain in Hong Kong only until Nov. 18, 2024 but stayed until her arrest on Mar
17 last year.
Verdadero was originally charged at the
magistrate’s court, but the discovery of more bank accounts in her name where
the alleged tainted money had passed through, resulted in her case being
elevated to the District Court.
Money laundering, or what is formally known as
“dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable
offence,” in violation sections 2(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious
Crimes Ordinance, is punishable with a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment and fine
of up to $5 million.
