The Lingnan University theft came to light after the New Territories North Regional Police received a tip claiming “financial chaos” in the student union, a registered organization under the Societies Ordinance.
Between 2024 and 2025, HK$1.3 million was transferred from the student union’s account in four checks -- one for HK$400,000 to another student body, and three totaling HK$900,000 to the personal accounts of two current members, the probe revealed.
The money was spent to repay credit card debt on travel, dining, airfares and accommodation, personal loans, and also channeled into an investment account, sources said.
One allegedly used the cash to travel, buy stocks and visit night clubs while another spent the money on lingerie for cross-dressing, they said.
Officers eventually arrested two incumbent and two former members of the union on charges of “theft” and “conspiracy to commit theft.”
The quartet included three men and one woman, aged between 21 and 24.
Lau Chi-pang, lawmaker and associate vice president of LingU, expressed frustration over the situation, noting that the student union operates as an independent registered body, leaving the university with no oversight over its finances.
“Therefore, we were unaware of these issues as they occurred. Moving forward, we will require student organizations to re-register under the university’s supervision and strengthen financial monitoring,” Lau said.
The Lingnam Students’ Union also faced criticism over a scandal of “OCamp” or orientation camp, organized by its affiliated residents’ association in September 2023.
The controversy began when footage of the OCamp featuring indecent games was leaked online, in which male and female students were seen eating crispy sticks mouth-to-mouth, as well as engaging in same-sex or opposite-sex kissing and French kissing, sparking heated discussions over its sexual innuendos.
As the incident continued to escalate, in May 2024, LingU issued new guidelines for orientation activities, prohibiting student societies from using the term “Orientation Camp” and banning “indecent games or activities.”
(Staff reporter)
