Sixteen people have been arrested for allegedly forging medical certificates to fraudulently withdraw funds from the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF), police said on Thursday.
Investigators revealed that some MPF contributors had conspired with intermediaries and used false documents to falsely claim they were totally incapacitated or suffering from terminal illnesses, allowing them to access their retirement savings early.
The case came to light after police received a referral from an MPF trustee company concerning suspected fraudulent withdrawals. It was found that several contributors had falsely declared themselves terminally ill through intermediaries to secure early payouts.
Between October 13 and 15, officers arrested 10 men and six women aged between 31 and 56 on suspicion of fraud. A large quantity of documents, bank cards, and mobile phones was seized during the operation.
Police believe a criminal syndicate posing as intermediaries helped the suspects submit forged medical certificates, charging commissions ranging from five to 30 percent of the withdrawn amounts. The total sum involved is estimated to exceed HK$4 million.
The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests have not been ruled out.
The MPF Authority expressed concern over the incident, noting that this was the first known case of forgery involving early withdrawals based on terminal illness claims. It said it is working closely with the police and MPF trustees to follow up on the matter.
A spokesman for the Authority reminded members that forgery is a serious criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison and urged the public to refrain from engaging in or assisting such illegal activities.
