Funged again. Never happens here. Nope. Never.

[Boscar Obarra]

Hong Kong ICAC

The Hong Kong Independent Comission Against Corruption (ICAC) reports that two persons on Tuesday were charged by the ICAC for alleged conspiracy to offer advantages to a jockey in a tips-for-bets scam.

Fung Hok-cheung, 46, unemployed, and Leung Shu-kan, 54, merchant, were due to appear in Eastern Magistracy on Wednesday at 9:30 am, each facing one count of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.

One of the charges alleges that between June 16 and July 3, 2006, Fung had conspired with another person to offer advantages to Christopher James Munce, who was an agent, namely a jockey acting for horse trainers, as rewards for the latter\'s supplying horse racing tips and riding in horse races in a manner consistent with those racing tips.

The alleged advantages were placing bets, totalling $300,000, in relation to four horse races on behalf of Munce; and monetary dividends totalling $863,600 in relation to two of the above races (being dividends less $150,000 cost).

The other charge alleges Leung of conspiring with Fung to offer advantages to Munce between January and May 22, 2006 for the same reason.

The alleged advantages were said to consist of placing bets totalling $80,000 in two other horse races on behalf of Munce.

The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances on Wednesday.