Hong Kong air-conditioning salesman, Li Kin-wang, employed as a senior sales manager at Oh Luen, has recently confessed to bribing an undisclosed director at the Wynn Macau casino. This deed was carried out with the promise of receiving numerous profitable contracts for his company in return.
Li Kin-wang, aged 59, admitted on Monday to having offered the anonymous Wynn director three bribes which totalled over HKD450K, equivalent to approximately US$57K. This confession was made to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong.
This nefarious arrangement proved to be fruitful for Oh Luen, which was bestowed around 70 air-conditioning maintenance contracts by Wynn Resorts Macau. These agreements amounted to roughly HKD22 million, equivalent to US$2.8 million. From 2014 to 2017, the period when these transactions occurred, both Wynn Resorts Macau and the two associated air-conditioning firms saw a expansion in their revenues. It’s important to note that it’s unlikely Wynn’s growth can be attributed to the air-conditioning sector.
In May 2022, the ICAC charged Li along with Woo Tak-hoi for offering an unauthorized benefit to an agent, infringing on Hong Kong’s Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO). Woo Tak-hoi, aged 55, serves as a director at Wai Luen, a company associated with Oh Luen. He has refuted two counts of conspiracy to bribe. Woo’s legal proceeding will commence soon in the Eastern District Court in Hong Kong.
The possible consequences for these two men, if found guilty, include a seven-year prison sentence and a fine of up to HK$500,000, equivalent to around US$64,000. Initially, Li Kin-wang was charged with making seven attempts to bribe the director, with the total offering exceeding HK$930,000, equivalent to over US$118,470.
The identity of the Wynn director is yet to be revealed, as well as whether he is facing allegations. As per the ICAC, the director worked for Wynn Resorts Macau since 2007 and was in charge of the procurement and awarding of repair and maintenance services. In his testimony, Li affirmed that the director began soliciting bribes from him in 2014.
This wrongdoings were brought to light after an anonymous whistleblower notified the ICAC in 2019. The Macau Commission Against Corruption lent a hand in this inquiry. Wynn Macau had fully cooperated throughout the investigation process. The case has been postponed until September 18 by Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che, while Li has been granted bail.