Bonjour family to jail for Fraud
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A family of swindlers who stole more than HK$40 million (US$5 million) from cosmetics retailer Bonjour have been imprisoned for their crimes.
The highest sentence of 11 years behind bars was dealt out to the Bonjour fraud scheme ringleader Kiu Mei-ling, 64, a Bonjour employee in charge of payroll who funnelled company funds into her family’s personal accounts. Her son Ha Ting-pong, who was also an employee of the firm, received a sentence of seven years, while her husband received a 6½-year sentence.
Kiu used falsely-inflated salaries and fake employee identities to siphon money from the business between 2004 and 2011. She was caught when a company manager noticed an unusually high salary was being paid to a new member of staff. Most of the funds were not recovered, leading lawyers for the retailer to file a claim for the bail money posted by the family, which is pending further judgement.
Deputy judge Michael Lunn called the scam a “gross breach of trust” that exploited the firm’s weak internal processes.
Questions & Answers
Q.Who was the main person responsible for organising the fraud against Bonjour?
Who was the main person responsible for organising the fraud against Bonjour?
Kiu Mei-ling, a 64-year-old Bonjour employee, was identified as the ringleader of the fraud scheme. She worked in payroll and directed company funds into her family's personal accounts. She received the highest sentence of 11 years.
Q.How did the fraudsters manage to siphon money from Bonjour?
How did the fraudsters manage to siphon money from Bonjour?
The ringleader, Kiu Mei-ling, used two primary methods: creating falsely-inflated salaries for existing staff and setting up fake employee identities. These methods allowed her to divert company funds into her family's personal accounts.
Q.How long did the fraud scheme operate before being discovered?
How long did the fraud scheme operate before being discovered?
The fraud scheme operated for approximately seven years. It began in 2004 and continued until 2011, when a company manager noticed an unusually high salary being paid to a new member of staff, leading to its discovery.
Q.Will Bonjour be able to recover the money that was stolen by the family?
Will Bonjour be able to recover the money that was stolen by the family?
Most of the stolen funds, totalling over HK$40 million, were not recovered. Lawyers for Bonjour have filed a claim for the bail money previously posted by the family, though this claim is still awaiting a judgment.
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