ICAC, antitrust watchdog arrest 5 in Hong Kong over construction fraud, bid-rigging

Independent Commission Against Corruption and Competition Commission detain suspects after 20 earlier arrests in April for similar offences

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At a press briefing, the ICAC and Competition Commission show an illustration explaining how the alleged construction bid-rigging worked. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 6:31pm, 26 Aug 2024Updated: 6:45pm, 26 Aug 2024

Hong Kong authorities have arrested five more people for alleged construction fraud and bid-rigging related to two building maintenance projects, after 20 were earlier detained over another six projects, with law enforcement officials saying all suspects belonged to the same syndicate.

In a joint operation on August 21 and 22, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and the antitrust watchdog Competition Commission arrested five individuals on bribery-related charges tied to residential building maintenance projects totalling HK$140 million (US$18 million).

“After four months of in-depth investigation and analysis into evidence collected, we have uncovered the same syndicate’s involvement in alleged corruption and bid-rigging activities in other residential estates and maintenance projects,” Bill Ng Siu-kei, principal investigator of the ICAC, said.

Ng was referring to a similar joint operation by the two agencies in April, during which 20 suspects were arrested over fraud and bid-rigging in relation to the same type of projects.

The latest five arrestees comprised two members of incorporated owners’ committees, two middlemen and a contractor.