Trio of association administrators sentenced for subsidy fraud

Three administrators from two associations have been sentenced to imprisonment and ordered to pay compensation by a court of law after being found guilty of committing subsidy fraud, local media reports.

According to a report by local Chinese newspaper the Macao Daily News, the accused are Cheung Chi Pong and Mo Wan Ping from the Macau People with Visually Impaired Right Promotion Association, and Tang Kam Seong from Ou Mun Mou Tou Hip Vui (Macau Dance Association).

Cheung and Mo were sentenced to seven years of imprisonment, and Tang was sentenced to nine months of imprisonment with 1.5 years of probation. They are also required to pay compensation ranging between MOP740 and MOP256,000 to the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS), the then Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) and the Macao Foundation.

As a visually impaired person, Cheung has been the executive director of the association since 2011 and has been assisted in his job by Mo, who was officially hired by the association in 2012.

Cheung and Mo were accused of overstating the costs of the government-
subsidized events. In doing so, they were able to retain the portion of unused funds that would otherwise have been returned back to the subsidizing body. 

The report noted that they have transgressed in this manner at least 24 times. In addition to these instances, other acts have passed the statutory limitation period and charges in respect of these can no longer be pressed. AL