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HONG KONG - In a major operation, the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (FIIB) of the Hong Kong Police Force has successfully dismantled a local money laundering syndicate.
The group has been operating since January this year, recruiting foreign domestic helpers to open bank accounts in Hong Kong, charging HK$200 to HK$500 per account. These accounts were subsequently used to receive and launder the proceeds of various fraudulent activities, including approximately HK$3.4 million from 52 fraud cases.
Members of the group arrange to meet domestic helpers in parks or fast food restaurants and guide them through the process of opening a bank account using a mobile app. During the account setup process, they enter a custom account name and password, allowing criminal gangs to maintain control of the account. In a coordinated cross-district operation, FIIB arrested 16 people, including 14 foreign domestic workers.
The investigation also revealed that two main members used 13 personal accounts to participate in money laundering of more than HK$45 million from January 2021 to November 2022. Overall, the criminal gang has laundered an estimated HK$99 million in illicit funds since 2021.
FIIB launched an intelligence-led operation in March involving extensive investigation and analysis to identify local money laundering syndicates. It was discovered that the syndicate lured foreign domestic helpers with money to open bank accounts, which were then used to receive and launder funds obtained through various fraudulent means.
On November 27, FIIB conducted arrest operations across Hong Kong and arrested 16 people on charges of conspiracy to launder money and money laundering. Those arrested include 13 Filipino women and 1 Indonesian woman, aged between 21 and 54 years old. Four of them are the main members of the group, and the remaining 12 are agency account holders. Those arrested claimed to be construction workers, domestic workers or unemployed.
FIIB Senior Inspector Kwong Yin-Ting revealed yesterday that the group recruited foreign domestic helpers to open at least 25 bank accounts in Hong Kong between January and August 2023, charging them fees of HK$200 to HK$500 per account. Meet syndicate members at a park or fast food restaurant and guide them through the account opening process using pre-prepared phones and apps.
During the setup process, the helper entered a custom account name and password. Once the bank approves the application, the accounts fall under the control of the criminal group.
Subsequently, the group carried out employment fraud, investment fraud and other fraudulent activities. The victims followed the fraudsters' instructions and deposited funds into these agency accounts.
After collecting ill-gotten gains in agency accounts, the criminal gang would make multiple transfers to evade detection by law enforcement agencies. Kwong said that since January 2023, the group has used 25 bank accounts related to foreign domestic helpers to handle more than HK$54 million in suspected criminal proceeds. These included at least 52 fraud cases, involving employment fraud, investment fraud, online shopping fraud and telephone fraud, with a total of approximately HK$3.4 million defrauded, resulting in a total loss of HK$26 million to the victims.
The investigation also found that two main members of the group used 13 personal accounts to launder more than 45 million Hong Kong dollars in unidentified funds between January 2021 and November 2022.
Kwong Yin-Ting emphasized that the operation successfully destroyed an active local money laundering group, and the police are currently tracing the flow of funds. All those arrested were granted bail until mid-January next year. The investigation is ongoing and further arrests have not been ruled out. Kwong further highlighted the worrying trend of criminal syndicates recruiting foreign domestic workers to open mobile banking accounts to receive and launder the proceeds of fraudulent activities.
In this regard, the Police will continue to enhance public awareness and education on anti-money laundering measures through different channels, including consulates and social media platforms, so as to effectively convey information to newly arrived foreign domestic helpers and foreign domestic helpers already working in Hong Kong.
洗钱案破获9,900万港元 拘捕16人 包括外籍家庭佣工
香港 - 在一次重大行动中，香港警务处金融情报及调查科（FIIB）成功捣毁了一个本地洗钱集团。 该集团自今年一月起开始运营，招募外籍家庭佣工在香港开设银行账户，每个账户收费200至500港元。
这些账户随后被用来接收和洗钱各种欺诈活动的收益，其中包括来自 52 起欺诈案件的约 340 万港元。
该小组的成员安排在公园或快餐店与家庭佣工会面，并指导他们完成使用移动应用程序开设银行账户的过程。 在帐户设置过程中，他们输入自定义帐户名和密码，使犯罪团伙能够保持对帐户的控制。
在一次跨区协调行动中，FIIB 逮捕了 16 人，其中包括 14 名外籍家庭佣工。 调查还发现，两名主要成员在2021年1月至2022年11月期间，利用13个个人账户参与洗黑钱活动，金额超过4500万港元。总体而言，该犯罪团伙自2021年以来洗钱的非法资金估计达9900万港元。
FIIB 在 3 月份启动了一项以情报为主导的行动，涉及广泛的调查和分析，以识别当地的洗钱集团。 经发现，该集团以金钱引诱外籍家庭佣工开设银行账户，然后用这些账户接收和清洗通过各种诈骗手段获得的资金。
11月27日，FIIB在香港各地开展抓捕行动，逮捕了16人，罪名是串谋洗钱和洗钱。 被捕者包括13名菲律宾女性和1名印尼女性，年龄介乎21岁至54岁。 其中4人是该团体的主要成员，其余12人是代理账户持有人。 被捕者自称是建筑工人、家政工人或失业者。
FIIB高级督察邝贤廷昨日透露，该集团招募外籍家庭佣工于2023年1月至8月期间在香港开设至少25个银行账户，每个账户收费为200至500港元。
在公园或快餐店与集团成员会面，并指导他们使用预先准备的手机和应用程序完成开户流程。 在设置过程中，助手输入了自定义帐户名和密码。 一旦银行批准申请，账户就落入犯罪集团的控制之下。
随后，该团伙实施就业诈骗、投资诈骗等诈骗活动。 受害人听从诈骗者的指示，将资金存入这些机构账户。 该犯罪团伙在机构账户中收取不义之财后，会进行多次转账，以逃避执法机构的侦查。 邝贤廷表示，自2023年1月起，该集团已利用25个与外籍家庭佣工有关的银行账户处理超过5,400万港元的涉嫌犯罪所得。
其中包括至少52宗诈骗案件，涉及雇佣诈骗、投资诈骗、网上购物诈骗及电话诈骗，合共骗取约340万港元，导致受害人总共损失2,600万港元。 调查还发现，该团伙两名主要成员在2021年1月至2022年11月期间，利用13个个人账户洗钱金额超过4500万港元，资金来源不明。
邝贤廷强调，行动成功捣毁当地一个活跃的洗钱集团，警方目前正在追查资金流向。 所有被捕者均获准保释至明年一月中旬。 调查仍在进行中，不排除进一步逮捕的可能性。 邝进一步强调了犯罪集团招募外籍家庭佣工开设手机银行账户以接收和洗钱欺诈活动收益的令人担忧的趋势。
就此，警方会继续透过不同渠道，包括领事馆及社交媒体平台，加强公众对反洗黑钱措施的认识和教育，以有效向新来港外籍家庭佣工及已在本地工作的外籍家庭佣工传达信息。 香港。
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