Big money: Shenzhen driver jailed for six years after Hong Kong account he set up laundered HK$2.5b
Man jailed for six years after he was asked to set up HK bank account
A Shenzhen driver who opened a bank account in Hong Kong and allowed others to use it to launder HK$2.5 billion within a year was jailed for six years in the High Court yesterday.
Lai Haiwei, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder money.
Mr Justice Patrick Li Hon-leung said: "There was no evidence to show you knew the crime behind the laundered money. However, you must have known the money was related to something illegal."
Li said the amount involved was an important element he had to consider in passing sentence.
Prosecutor Thomas Iu said the police discovered Lai had formed a company and opened a bank account while investigating an email fraud case in 2012.
US company Rockwood Manufacturing received an email from a Taiwan supplier asking it to transfer US$1.152 million to two bank accounts in Hong Kong.
