Ex-McDonald’s construction consultant charged with bribery after allegedly accepting luxury watch from contractors
Hong Kong Free Press
A former construction consultant for McDonald’s in Hong Kong has been charged with bribery, after allegedly accepting a luxury watch from a contractor couple in exchange for awarding them multimillion-dollar projects.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said on Monday that Ling Mun-tong, 45, was charged last Friday for allegedly taking a bribe from Wardson Deco-Construction Ltd engineering manager Chow Chi-kuen, 48, and his wife, Chan Chin-yu, 30, the company’s director and shareholder.
According to the anti-corruption agency, Ling was a consultant for the business development department of MHK Restaurants Ltd, the operator of more than 200 McDonald’s branches in Hong Kong.
“He was responsible for conducting [the] tender exercise, including inviting approved contractors to submit tenders, submitting tender analysis and making recommendations, as well as overseeing [the] progress of the projects,” the ICAC said. “Wardson was one of the approved contractors of MHK.”
The ICAC accused Ling of accepting a watch worth more than HK$80,000 from Chow and Chan on December 2, 2023, “for showing favour to their renovation company.”
The ICAC said that the renovation firm was awarded 34 projects and minor works, as well as 14 adjustment works between September 2021 and December 2023. The contracts were worth more than HK$18 million in total, it added.
The ICAC also charged Chow and Chan with bribery. Together with Ling, the pair were granted bail.
The three suspects will take a plea at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday.
Ling is facing a separate fraud charge involving a bank mortgage loan. He will enter his plea for the fraud case on Tuesday as well, the ICAC said.
Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title {
font-size: 1.2em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
align-items: center;
margin-top: 0.5em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta {
font-size: 0.8em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar {
height: 25px;
width: 25px;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail{
margin: 0;
margin-bottom: 0.25em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail img {
height: auto;
width: 100%;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail figcaption {
margin-bottom: 0.5em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles p {
margin: 0.5em 0;
}
HKFP has an impartial stance, transparent funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy.
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.