Filipina charged with laundering HK$6.4 M in 8 banks

 

Tainted money laundered through banks is withdrawn using ATM cards (File photo)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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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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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.

Court rejects $50K bail offer of Pinay accused of assaulting baby

 

Community where crime was allegedly committed (Google Maps photo)

The 28-year-old Filipina domestic helper arrested for brain injuries sustained by a four-month-old baby in her care, was returned to jail after her offer of $50,000 cash bail was rejected during her first hearing today at Fanling Court.

Acting Principal Magistrate Veronica Heung adjourned the case to April 9 against the Filipina, identified only as A.J.R.E.N., and remanded her in jail, saying she was facing a serious charge and lacked local ties that would ensure she would return to the court.

Magistrate Heung agreed with the prosecutor who said the baby was so badly injured and had a slim chance of surviving at the Intensive Care Unit of the Prince of Wales Hospital, that the charge against A.J.R.E.N. may have to be upgraded from the present “assault by those in charge of child or young person,” contrary to section 27(1) of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance.

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The prosecutor’s objection to her bail prevailed despite additional conditions offered by Yasmin Zahir, the lawyer hired by the Migrant Workers’ Office at the Consulate, such as reporting regularly to a police station, not leaving Hong Kong, not going back to the place of offense and not contacting the baby’s parents.

The lawyer added that since A.J.R.E.N. would be staying at a shelter operated by the Philippine Consulate in Kennedy Town, her presence in future court dates would be ensured. However, she failed to convince the magistrate.

No other details of the case were made available, with Zahir asking for transcripts and copy of the video-recorded interview conducted by police on the Filipina.

In court to lend support to the Filipina was the newly installed Philippine Labor Attache to Hong Kong, Cesar L. Chavez, Jr.

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The police complaint alleged that the Filipina , “being a person over the age of 16 years who had the custody, charge or care of boy X, a child aged 4 months, did willfully assault the said boy X in a manner likely to cause the said boy X unnecessary suffering or injury to her health.”

The alleged assault took place last Jan. 18 at the employer’s flat in Tsiu Keng village, on Fan Kam Road, Fanling.

Police said in a news briefing yesterday that the baby was taken to North District Hospital early on Sunday where the brain injuries were discovered.

He was immediately transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital for emergency surgery, and remains in intensive care.

CCTV footage from the family’s home reportedly showed the Filipina harming the infant in the early hours of Sunday. 

But the police said the home surveillance camera covered only the living room area, and no severe abuse was seen in the footage from the past few days.

Read previous reporting here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2026/01/filipina-dh-faces-child-abuse-rap-after.html

Filipina DH faces child abuse rap after 4-month-old ward found with brain injuries

 

Police officers say the Filipina DH was arrested along with her Indonesian co-worker

A 28-year-old Filipina domestic helper is due to be charged at Fan Ling court today with ill-treatment of a child, after a four-month-old infant she had been looking after was found with brain injuries and had to undergo emergency surgery. 

The boy’s 16-month-old brother is also in hospital, after reportedly being found with bruises at the family’s residence in Sheung Shui.

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A 45-year-old Indonesian DH who was employed in the same household for about six months was also arrested but remains under police investigation.

Police said in a press briefing on Wednesday that the boys were under the care of both helpers, who were arrested on Tuesday.

The officers said they received a report from Prince of Wales Hospital on Sunday after doctors found suspicious injuries on the infant, including bleeding in the brain and retina, which were consistent with what is commonly known as “shaken baby syndrome.”

Photo uploaded online by someone claiming to be the baby's father

The baby was taken to North District Hospital earlier that day where the brain injuries were discovered. He was transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital for emergency surgery and is now in stable condition, but remains in intensive care.

CCTV footage from the family’s home reportedly showed the Filipina who had been employed at the household for three months, harming the infant in the early hours of Sunday. She is also suspected of injuring the older boy.

But the police said the home surveillance camera covered only the living room area, and no severe abuse was seen in the footage from the past few days.

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They added doctors have indicated that injuries associated with “shaken baby syndrome” do not occur from a single incident.

The police said medical experts will be consulted on how the injuries were inflicted, and whether there are indications of prolonged abuse.

Ongoing investigations will also include a check on the family background and caregiving arrangements.

The police did not comment on a social media post by someone claiming to be the boys’ father who said his baby was rushed to hospital after he was found unresponsive by the younger helper.

The home CCTV allegedly showed the Filipina shaking the baby and grabbing him by the neck.

The police briefing on the case was held just one day after the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance came into effect.

The Ordinance mandates 25 categories of specified professionals, including doctors and social workers, to report as soon as practicable any suspected case of child abuse encountered in the  the course of their work.

Any specified professional who fails to comply could be jailed for up to three months and fined up to $50,000.

 

Ex-DH gets 4 months’ jail for HK$38K theft

 

Fairview Park in Yuen Long

A Filipina who lost her job after being charged with stealing HK$38,046 in valuables from her employer's flat, has been jailed for four months after pleading guilty at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts.

Lerma Sanchez, aged 32 years and has no fixed abode in Hong Kong, was returned to jail where she has been detained since the charges were filed last November.

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With deductions from her sentence such as holidays and others allowed by law, she is expected to be released shortly.

Acting Principal Magistrate Daniel Tang handed down the sentence on Tuesday (Jan. 20), told Sanchez that the offense is serious because it involved breaching the trust of her employer Lee Pui-shan, who allowed her into their home.

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A police complaint charged her with violating section 9 of the Theft Ordinance for taking 30 cash vouchers, a letter from an insurance company and four gold accessories -- two gold pendants, a necklace, and a ring –with a total value of HK$38,046.

The offense took place between September 2024 and September 2025 at her employer’s house in Fairview Park, Yuen Long.

45 months in jail for Filipina in $5.3M money laundering case

 

Defendant's Standard Chartered account was used to launder $5.3M in tainted money

By Daisy CL Mandap

Harsher penalties being sought by the Hong Kong police in cases of money laundering have resulted in a Filipina domestic helper being sentenced Tuesday to 45 months’ imprisonment for her role in the laundering of more than HK$5 million in tainted money.

The sentence was the highest ever imposed on a foreign domestic worker implicated in a money laundering case, and it was partly the result of a request from the police for an “enhancement” of sentences imposed in crimes of this nature.

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In sentencing Ma Rochel C. Fuentes, Deputy District Judge Tim Casewell used a starting point of 39 months’ imprisonment, then added six more months in response to the enhancement request from the police contained in a letter sent on Dec 21 last year.

Judge Casewell noted that police statistics furnished the court showed a “plateauing” in the number of money laundering cases last year, but said he was still bound to impose a sentence that will serve as a deterrent to others.

The sentence meant that Fuentes, who is 37 years old and has been detained since two years ago, will have to remain in jail for at least six more months, assuming she gets a 1/3 discount for good behavior.

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Fuentes was found guilty after trial on one count of money laundering, legally described as “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to section 25 (1) and (3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, Cap. 455.”

She was arrested at Hong Kong International Airport on Jan. 26, 2024, as she was about to board an Air Asia flight to Manila. She told friends and relatives that she was going home to wait for her new employment visa after being made redundant in her previous job.

Her arrest came after a total of $666,300 in tainted money was initially found in her Standard Chartered Bank account number 978-8-718887-1.

Subsequent investigations showed the money that passed through her account from Apr 1-17, 2023 was actually much more. The updated calculation showed it to be a total of $3,758,465.59, resulting in the transfer of her case from the magistracy to the District Court.

Then, further inquiries revealed that the illicit money had flowed in and out of her account much earlier. From March 20 to April 17, 2023, the total amount came up to $5,391,996.74.

After her arrest, Fuentes told the police she was not the one who opened the Standard Chartered bank account. She said the only account she had was with the Philippine National Bank.

Fuentes said an acquaintance gave her $410 and asked for a copy of her HKID card, saying it was for a game. But after she received the money, she said this unknown person blocked her on Facebook.

Initially, she indicated she wanted to plead guilty to the offence so she could benefit from a reduced sentence. But she subsequently changed her mind, insisting she had no knowledge of any of  the illicit transactions made using the bank account opened in her name.

Commenting on this, Judge Casewell said he accepted that Fuentes played a minimal role in the money laundering and that she received only a small amount for this.

But, said the judge, it was clear that the defendant knew that the account opened in her name would be used for the processing of tainted money.

Not only did she provide her HKID card, she also took a selfie which was part of the process of opening the account.

“She must have known what was taking place,” said the judge. “I do not accept that it was for a game.”

Judge Casewell said that in sentencing he took note of Fuentes’ clear record, of her being a single mother with two children aged 16 and 15 years old, that she finished high school and worked in a factory before going abroad to work as a domestic helper.

 

Police confirm arrest for assault of Filipina's employer in viral video

 

Still from the video taken near Olympic MTR station

Hong Kong Police have confirmed the arrest last Thursday of the employer of a Filipina helper seen on various videos uploaded online being apparently assaulted, but said the suspect was released on police bail afterwards..

The confirmation of the arrest came five days after the videos were posted, including the last one taken just outside the Olympic MTR station where the employer was seen slapping and pulling the hair of the Filipina, oblivious to the people passing by and shouting for the police to be called.

Subsequent footage showed rescuers at the scene talking to the Filipina, while one officer could be seen talking to the employer on the other side.

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In an email sent to The SUN earlier today, Tuesday, the police said they received a report at about 11:30am on Jan. 15 of a woman “suspected of assaulting a foreign woman by hand near MTR Olympic Station.”

The police said the 58-year-old local woman was arrested for common assault but was later released on bail and is required to report back in mid-February.

The Filipina, described in the police report as a “33-year-old foreign woman” was sent to Kwong Wah Hospital for a medical check-up.

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The investigation by the police in Mong Kok is said to be underway.

The police report came after Philippine Migrant Workers Secretary Hans J. Cacdac issued a statement Monday night saying the Filipina migrant worker called “Bernadette” was being assisted in her case by the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong.

Cacdac said the worker was to be accompanied to the police station today “for the formal investigation” by Hong Kong Labor Attache Cesar L. Chavez, Jr and a lawyer.

Cacdac (centre) says 'Bernadette' is getting full assitance from the MWO

The statement also said that after learning about the alleged assault, a team from the MWO sought out Bernadette and took her to a hospital for a medical examination, then to a “protected” shelter where she is now staying.

Bernadette is said to remain under observation while waiting for her medical results.

Based on several other videos that surfaced online, the worker was apparently assaulted at least twice before by her employer, one inside a mall just before the MTR incident, and another inside a house.

Netizens claiming to be her friend said Bernadette had been working for her employer for just a month.

DH gets 23 months for stealing 10 watches, then claiming burglary

 

Estate where theft took place

By Leo A. Deocadiz

A domestic helper who stole 10 wristwatches from her employer and then tried to cover it up by claiming a burglar had entered their house from the roof of their three-floor house, was jailed for 23 months today at the District Court.

Vanessa Vallespin, 39 years old, tearfully confirmed she understood the sentence when asked by Deputy District Judge Pang Leung-ting.

The sentence came after she pleaded guilty last Jan. 7 to two counts of theft, contrary to section 9 of the Theft Ordinance, and to having "knowingly misled" a police officer by giving false information that the house was broken into, contrary to section 64(b) of the Police Force Ordinance.

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In the first charge, Vallespin was convicted of stealing a Rolex Daytona watch worth $200,000 from her male employer Gary Lau at Sunderland Estate in Kowloon Tong on Dec. 2, 2024. Two days later, she stole nine more watches worth $599,780, for the second conviction.

As recounted by Judge Pang, the thefts were discovered on Dec. 4 after Vallespin called his employer to say that she found the door leading to the roof of their house’s third floor, as well as a drawer in the master’s bedroom, had heen opened.

During investigation at the Hunghom police station, she told a police officer that their house in Sunderland Estate on Hereford Road, Kowloon Tong, had been burgled.

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But she later confessed that she stole the Rolex Daytona watch and pawned it, then stole nine more watches of various luxury brands two days later.

All the watches have been subsequently recovered -- the Rolex was retrieved from a pawnshop in Central and the nine other watches were found in a bag which she hid among plants in their garden. 

Judge Pang acknowledged the defense lawyer’s mitigation that in the end, the employer suffered no loss, that Vallespin confessed to the crime, that the crime was due to poor judgment rather than malice to the employers, that she was nervous when she gave misleading information to police, and that she had apologized to her employers.

He also noted that she thought of stealing the watches to be able to pay off a $30,000 loan she took to help out a friend, a certain Mary Ann, who needed money to go to Albania to work but who later abandoned the promise to pay her back.

Judge Pang said that if sentencing guidelines were followed for each of the items stolen, the total would be 40 months. Instead, he chose a starting point of 33 months, from which he deducted one third or 11 months.

For misleading the police, he chose a starting point of three months, of which only one month was added to Vallespin’s sentence for theft -- for an overall total of 23 months.

Pinoy DH gets suspended sentence for illegal work

 

2 other Filipinos charged with working illegally in a warehouse are on trial at Shatin court

A 60-year-old Filipino domestic worker was bound over for $1,500 over 12 months after pleading guilty to illegal work as he was due to stand trial at Sha Tin court starting today, Monday.

But while he managed to walk free from court, Rodrigo Sarabia was ordered to pay costs of $500 to be deducted from his $1,000 bail.

Two other Filipinos who were charged with him maintained their innocence as their trial began before Magistrate Raymond Wong.

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Junipher R. Sambalod, 41 years old and Marcelino G. Guisinga, Jr., 44, are out on bail of $10,000 cash and $10,000 surety each, pending the outcome of their trial which is due to end on Thursday.

The three were among seven Filipinos arrested on March 4 last year on suspicion of working illegally in a cargo company in Kwai Chung.

Six of those arrested were asylum seekers and were charged with “taking employment while being a person in respect of whom a removal order is in force.”

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Sarabia, who was the only one on domestic worker visa, was charged with breaching his condition of stay.

Four of their co-accused all pleaded guilty earlier to working illegally and were each sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.

In a statement issued on March 5 last year, the Immigration Department announced it had arrested nine persons in an anti-illegal work operation conducted by its agents in Kwai Chung  eight of whom were Filipinos.

The eighth Filipino was a female overstayer while the ninth was a 51-year-old male Hong Kong resident who was suspected of employing the Filipinos.

The Immigration statement said the eight suspects were caught while performing transporting and wrapping duties in a unit of the industrial building.

The maximum penalty for illegal work is between two and three years in jail and fine of up to $50,000.

 

113 failed asylum seekers deported from HK

 

Some of the women deportees are escorted to a van that took them to the airport

Hong Kong has sent back 113 non-refoulement claimants over the past week (Jan 12 to 18) after failing to convince local courts to allow them to remain here.

A statement from the Immigration Department said those removed comprised 68 men and 45 women, who mainly came from Vietnam, Indonesia and India.

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They were either illegal immigrants or overstayers who had applied to remain in Hong Kong, claiming they could be tortured, persecuted or even killed if they returned home. Some were recently released from prisons after being convicted of criminal offences.

While Hong Kong does not accept asylum seekers, it does grant non-refoulement or an assurance that someone facing torture or persecution back home would not be forcibly returned.

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But under an updated policy that took effect on Dec. 7, 2022, Immigration was allowed to remove a claimant whose judicial review application has been dismissed by the Court of First Instance.

Immigration said in its statement that it remains committed to stepping up the removal process in collaboration with government of major source countries of non-refoulement claimants, airline companies and other government departments “as soon as practicable through all appropriate measures.”

PH allows Chinese nationals visa-free entry to boost tourism

Number of Chinese tourists in the Philippines has dwindled since the pandemic (PNA file photo)

Starting last Friday, Jan. 16, Chinese nationals have been allowed to enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 14 days.

According to the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, the move is aimed at increasing Chinese trade, investments and tourism in the country.

Previously, Chinese nationals could stay in the Philippines without a visa for up to seven days if they had a return ticket and valid visas to Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan and Schengen countries.

The new policy applies only to Chinese tourists entering through the airports in Manila and Cebu, and their stay cannot extend beyond two weeks.

In addition,  they have to present a passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended stay, confirmed hotel booking, and a return or onward ticket to the next country of destination.

The visa-free entry arrangement is valid for only a year and will be reviewed before the deadline.

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Observers note that the new policy was announced just days before the spring festival holiday which starts on the first day of the lunar new year and will last for nine days, indicating Manila’s desire to reverse the marked drop in tourist arrivals from China.

Before the pandemic, China was the second largest source of foreign visitors in the Phlippines after South Korea.  In 2019, a total of 1.7 million Chinese visited the Philippines, but the number dipped to only 262,144 as of Dec. 20, 2025.

China is now the sixth source of foreign visitors in the country, lagging behind South Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada.

But doubts persist about whether the visa-free policy could lure back many Chinese travellers to the Philippines, given persistent tensions in the West Philippine Sea between the two countries.

On the other hand, many Filipinos have expressed concerns that the move could allow easy access to Chinese visitors involved in scams and illegal gambling.

Some insist that there should be a reciprocal gesture from Beijing toward Filipino tourists. However, this is not likely to happen, given the huge number of Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong and Macau who could take advantage of the concession to swarm and overwhelm the mainland.

Tulfo seeks reimbursement for offloaded passengers, scrapping of travel tax

 

Passengers leaving Manila airport face the longest wait at the immigration counters

Senator Raffy Tulfo has filed a bill that will reimburse Filipino travellers who are offloaded or barred from boarding their flights at Philippine airports because of unjust and prolonged questioning by officers of the Bureau of Immigration.

Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, said Senate Bill No 1657 or the “Passenger Protection and Reimbursement for Deferred Departures Act,” seeks to provide relief to passengers who fail to catch their flights due to inordinate delays at the immigration counters.

“Prolonged immigration interviews … have resulted in Filipino passengers missing their scheduled flights despite the absence of a formal court order,” Tulfo said.

In many of these cases, passengers are not even given a clear explanation as to why immigration officers are taking a long time in clearing them for their flight.

The bill does not cover passengers who lack required documents, those with court orders preventing them from leaving the country, those linked to human trafficking offenses.

eTravel and travel tax payment are required of most passengers departing from the Philippines

Earlier, Tulfo also filed Senate Bill No 88 which provides for the scrapping of the travel tax for Filipinos who are travelling on economy class, but not for those on business or first class.

The tax, which is imposed on most passengers traveling out of the Philippines, amounts to t Php1,620 per passenger on economy and business class, and Php2,700 for first-class passengers.

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Certain groups like overseas Filipino workers, Filipino residents abroad, foreign diplomats, are exempted from paying the tax, while reduced rates apply for children aged up to 11 years old, and dependents of OFWs.

Tulfo said the levy imposes an “undue financial burden” on travelers already paying various taxes, including income and consumption taxes.

“It cannot be denied that the ordinary Filipino traveler, particularly those who travel on economy class, bears an undue financial burden because of travel tax,” Tulfo said.

He clarified that his bill does not seek to abolish the travel tax for all.

“It merely introduces a more equitable structure by retaining the imposition of travel tax on passengers traveling via business class or higher, whose financial standing affords them greater capacity to contribute to national development,” he said.

Proceeds from the tax goes to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, Commission on Higher Education, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

9 people arrested in latest crackdown on illegal work

 

2 of those arrested are led to an Immigration van

A week-long operation mounted by the Hong Kong Police to flush out illegal workers has resulted in the arrest of nine people, eight of them suspected illegal workers and one employer.

The suspects comprised two men and six women aged 32 to 57. They were detained during raids conducted from Jan 9 to 15 in multiple locations, including wet markets, hair salons and retail stores.

Among them, one man and one woman were found to hold recognizance papers which allow them to stay in Hong Kong as asylum seekers, but not to work.

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Their suspected employer who is aged 32, remains under investigation by Immigration authorities, who did not rule out further arrests.

Immigration warned that anyone found to have violated the condition of their stay in Hong Kong by taking up work, whether paid or unpaid, shall be prosecuted and upon conviction, be subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years in prison.

Those who are found to have overstayed their visas or entered Hong Kong illegally are meted a more severe penalty.

“As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business,” said the Immigration statement.

“Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment.”

In addition, section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance provides that the Chief Executive may order the deportation of the offender, and prohibit the person from returning to Hong Kong in future, if the offense committed is punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years.

Employing an illegal immigrant is a more serious offence for which the maximum sentence is imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of $500,000.

“According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment,” said Immigration.

The director, manager, secretary or other officers of the company that knowingly hired, or failed to make enough effort to ascertain the visa status of the illegal worker, may also be prosecuted.

The High Court has prescribed immediate custodial sentence for the employer of an illegal worker under sentencing guidelines prescribed for the offence.