A man took HK$2 million in cash to a money exchange to buy Tether (USD). During the transaction, two teenagers instructed him to put the cash into a "safe." However, the man later discovered the seller was unreachable. When he requested a refund, he was shocked to find that the money exchange's wall had been connected to a neighboring shop, and the cash in the "safe" was gone. The two teenagers then "donated" the cash into the safe and fled. One was stopped while climbing out, and the other was later arrested. The two teenagers previously pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, and the case was sentenced today (19th) at the District Court. Acting Judge Cheng Nim-chi stated that the defendants premeditated and conspired to commit the crime, involving a large sum of money, and the case was serious. The two were merely pawns, and considering that rehabilitation is more in the social interest for young people, they were sentenced to a reformatory.
The two defendants, Leung Chun-wai and Kwok Tsz-chun, both 19 years old and unemployed, admitted that on November 8, 2024, they, along with others, deceived the victim, Wong Wai-tung, by falsely claiming that they would provide approximately 250,000 TZD, thus inducing the victim to hand over HKD 2 million.
The two defendants, realizing their scheme had failed, donated the money to a safe and fled.
The case details that the victim contacted someone online who claimed to be able to conduct Tether transactions at a money exchange in Tsim Sha Tsui. After following the instructions to the shop, the two defendants told him to put the cash into a "safe" inside the shop. However, after the victim put down the money, he discovered that the seller who had originally contacted him was no longer available. The victim immediately asked for a refund and was shocked to find that the wall of the money exchange was connected to that of a neighboring shop. Upon seeing this, the two defendants "donated" the money into the safe and fled. One of them was stopped while climbing out, and the other was also arrested.
A man entered the neighborhood and took away a black bag.
"I didn't take the money," both defendants said under warning. They said they found the job on Facebook and received a reward of $1,000 and a commission of 10 per cent for each transaction they completed. CCTV showed that an unidentified man had entered the shop adjacent to the money changer and later left with a large black luggage bag.
Liang claimed he was unaware it was a scam when he applied for a job on Facebook.
The lawyer for the defendant, Leung Jin Wai, pleaded that Leung did not know it was fraud when he was initially looking for a job on Facebook. He only found out when he delivered with the victim, and that the plea letter written by Leung also reflected his remorse. The lawyer for the defendant, Kwok Zi-jun, said the plea letter showed Kwok was remorseful and that Kwok's mother hoped her son would be released as soon as possible. The court also earlier obtained a report on the teaching for the two defendants.
Officials stated that the two were not the masterminds but merely pawns.
Acting Judge Cheng Nim-chi, in sentencing, stated that the defendants' strongest mitigating circumstance was their guilty plea. Considering the large sums of money involved and the fact that the two had premeditated and conspired to commit the crime, they were not the masterminds but merely pawns. Given their youth and lack of prior criminal records, rehabilitation was deemed more important and beneficial to society; therefore, based on the report's recommendation, they were sentenced to a reformatory.
Case Number: DCCC474/2025
Original URL: hk01
