Ex-bank employee and intermediary charged by ICAC jailed for six months for bribery over account opening

A former bank employee and an operator of an intermediary, charged by the ICAC, were both sentenced to six months’ imprisonment at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (January 6) following their guilty pleas to having conspired together to accept bribes totalling over RMB13,000, i.e., about HK$15,000, for assisting clients of the intermediary to open bank accounts.

Chan Chun-hei, 30, then senior universal banker of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), and Zhang Ling, 30, director and shareholder of A Link Consulting Hong Kong Limited (A Link), were both sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

The duo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Another charge of offering an advantage to an agent against Chan was left on court file.

In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Ms May Chung Ming-sun remarked that the imposition of deterrent sentences was necessary to eradicate corruption and build a clean society. Considering the number of bank accounts and the amount of bribes involved in the present case, the court took nine months in jail for sentencing as the starting point. The defendants’ jail terms were reduced to six months, taking into account their guilty pleas and other mitigating factors.

The court also ordered Chan to make restitution of over RMB13,000, i.e., about HK$15,000, equivalent to the bribe amount involved, to HSBC.

At the material time, Chan was posted to a branch of HSBC in Kowloon Bay. A Link was set up by Zhang to provide services in Mainland for opening bank accounts in Hong Kong. Each client who successfully opened an account would be charged a service fee ranging from RMB500 to RMB1,500.

The court heard that between March 2024 and January 2025, Chan had accepted bribes of over RMB13,000, i.e., about HK$15,000, from Zhang for assisting over 120 clients referred by Zhang and her associates to open bank accounts at HSBC.

The ICAC has long attached great importance to the integrity of bank practitioners. With the full support of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Association of Banks and the banking industry, the ICAC launched the Banking Industry Integrity Charter last year to promote an integrity culture in the industry. The ICAC will continue to enhance its exchange with the industry under the framework of the Charter to heighten practitioners’ sensitivity to corruption risks, and provide continuous integrity training for bank practitioners.

HSBC rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Samantha Nichols.