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A man who claimed to be the new operator of Forever Gainer Investment Limited, trading as The West & South Gourmet Hotpot Restaurant, was sentenced to 160 hours' community service at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (November 24) for inciting the restaurant employees to inflate their claims in connection with their applications for ex-gratia payments under the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund (PWIF). The man was convicted on November 9.
The offences were detected when the Labour Department handled the employment claims from the employees for outstanding wages and termination payments when the restaurant ceased operation on July 10, 2007. With intent to defraud PWIF, the man incited the employees to inflate their outstanding wage periods from nine days to one and a half months.
The case was referred to the Police for investigation. Subsequently, the Police launched prosecution against the man for incitement to commit fraud under the Theft Ordinance and Common Law.
A spokesman for the Labour Department said: "We take a serious view of any attempt by any person to obtain payments fraudulently, and we will take every measure to combat those who provide false information with intent to defraud the PWIF."
The maximum penalty for incitement to commit fraud under the law is imprisonment for 14 years.
Ends/Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:57
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