Hong Kong water polo official admits fraud after pocketing HK$360,000 of funding
A former manager of the Hong Kong water polo team admitted on Thursday to falsely claiming more than HK$410,000 (US$52,655) in government training funds from the city's Sports Institute, and keeping almost all of it.
Koo Yu-fat appeared in District Court and pleaded guilty to one count of fraud between January 2018 and September 2021, when he was honorary secretary of the water polo committee of the Hong Kong China Swimming Association, and then team manager.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said the 62-year-old had falsified the athlete training records he submitted to the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) every month.
An investigation by the ICAC discovered that Koo had falsely claimed HK$412,000 on the basis that 33 athletes had attended 80 per cent of their training sessions.
He then asked athletes to give him part or all of their allowances, totalling about HK$360,000.
According to officials, Koo was caught following receipt of a 'corruption complaint in relation to the release of allowances to athletes of the Hong Kong water polo team'.
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