Local association leader allegedly embezzled funds

The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) has accused the president of a local association of committing fraud when applying for government subsidies.
In a statement, CCAC said it had investigated a case of a local association, which had applied for subsidies – a total of MOP1.4 million – from the Health Bureau, Macau Foundation and the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture office.
CCAC did not disclose the name or further details of the local association. The association’s president allegedly provided false information to public services to improve his chances of being granted government subsidies.
After receiving a complaint, CCAC launched an investigation into the case, and found that the association had presented false figures on its revenues, which were higher than those mentioned in the applications.
Between July and October 2011, the association filed applications for subsidies within the Health Bureau, the Macau Foundation, and the office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture.
The local organization’s president filed the same type of application with the Heath Bureau and the Macau Foundation, in order to be granted a subsidy covering specialized staff salaries. However, it stated in both applications that they were not filing an application for the same subsidy within different institutions. The association ended up being granted both subsidies, to a total of MOP355,000.
He has also been accused of failing to declare all revenues and profits of the association. CCAC accused him of falsifying documents and of fraud. The association’s president has confessed that he provided wrongful information with the aim of being granted subsidies.
The crimes of document falsification and fraud are met with jail terms of between three to 10 years, respectively.