The Independent Commission Against Corruption has arrested 14 people for allegedly taking bribes from three subcontractors in exchange for awarding contracts.
The arrestees, six men and eight women, aged 24 to 57, include a member of senior management and two employees in managerial grade of Hong Kong Johnson (1955), the proprietors and employees of the subcontractors.
The company’s chief executive William Fung Chi-wang was said to be one of the arrestees.
They are suspected of breaching the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and money laundering, the ICAC said.
The contracts involved cleaning services provided by the company to clients, as well as the supply of vehicles and related maintenance services to the firm, but did not include any government contracts.
ICAC officers searched the offices of Hong Kong Johnson and the subcontractors, as well as the residences of the arrested individuals, seizing various exhibits, including around HK$1 million in cash and a large number of watches.
The watches seized, with an estimated value of over HK$10 million, are suspected of being used to launder the bribes and crime proceeds concerned, the ICAC said.
The investigation also found that one of Hong Kong Johnson’s arrestees purchased three homes through a family member, with about HK$8 million allegedly coming from a subcontractor proprietor.
Hong Kong Johnson said in a filing that no other employees have been arrested in connection with the investigation and the ICAC has made no charges against the company, its subsidiaries, or other staff.
The company said it has suspended all duties and powers of the relevant employees with immediate effect and that business and operations of the group remain normal.
The company has submitted an application to the stock exchange to resume share trading from Friday, following a suspension on Thursday.
