Two convicted for false statements to claim MPF benefits
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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:

     Two scheme members of Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Scheme were convicted today (March 1) and fined $12,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy for breaching section 43E(1) of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance by making false and misleading statements submitted in documents to the approved MPF trustees.

     Purja Dil Bahadur and Tsang Hon Fai were charged under Section 43E(1) of the ordinance with making false and misleading statement to the trustee. Both were fined $6,000.

     According to the prosecution, the defendants applied to their trustees on June 18, 2009 and June 26, 2008 respectively for early withdrawal of their MPF accrued benefits on the ground of permanent departure.

     Investigation by the MPFA found that Purja Dil Bahadur had recklessly provided false and misleading statement in claiming that he had not previously claimed payment of accrued benefit on the ground of permanent departure on an earlier departure date. Tsang Hon Fai had deliberately provided a false statement of permanent departure but in fact he did not depart from Hong Kong permanently.

     Meanwhile, two employers were fined $21,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today, for offences under the ordinance.

     Rhumba Limited (BR no.: 32466812) was charged under section 7(1) of the ordinance and was fined $6,000 for failing to enrol an employee in an MPF scheme as required by the ordinance.

     Rhumba Limited was charged under section 7AA(7) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to make MPF contributions to the MPFA for an employee who was not a member of registered scheme within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between March and May 2009. The defendant was fined a total of $11,000.

     Eagle Genius Services (H.K.) Limited (BR no.: 30379885) was charged under section 7(1) of the ordinance and fined $4,000 for failing to enrol an employee in an MPF scheme.

Ends/Monday, March 1, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:11

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