Hong Kong Ex-Development Secretary Mak Charged With Fraud

Hong Kong’s former secretary for development Mak Chai-kwong and an assistant director of the highways department have been charged with a housing fraud involving more than HK$700,000 ($90,296).

Mak and the other official, Tsang King-man, face a joint charge of conspiracy to defraud the Hong Kong government between 1985 and 1990, the Independent Commission Against Corruption said in a statement on its website.

Mak and Tsang were arrested in July by the agency just days after the new government of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was sworn in. They will appear in the Eastern Magistrates’ Court tomorrow for a mention of the charges that they falsely claimed housing allowances from the government.

The two men concealed that they had an interest in the flats that they leased from each other’s wives, the ICAC said.

Mak, 62, resigned from the government on the day of his arrest in July. He and Tsang, 57, have been released on bail pending their court appearance, according to the statement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sandi Liu in Hong Kong at sliu60@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Douglas Wong at dwong19@bloomberg.net