An illegal currency exchange dealer from the mainland stole HK$500,000 from a local man but later accused the victim of defrauding him, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Chan Nam said during a press conference yesterday.
The suspect surnamed Mao is in his thirties. He told the police that he’s a businessman.
According to Ho, the male victim and Mao struck a deal on October 14, according to which Mao was to transfer 1.19 million yuan to the victim, who was then supposed to pay Mao HK$1.3 million in cash.
They met up in Mao’s hotel guestroom in the city centre. When the victim went to the bathroom, Mao stole HK$500,000 from the victim’s backpack and locked the cash in his own hotel room safe. When he came out of the bathroom, hotel security guards were in the room with Mao who alleged that the local man had defrauded him. Police later arrived at the scene and took Mao and the victim to a police station for questioning.
Based on the victim’s statement, the police suspected that Mao had falsely accused the victim. Police officers later retrieved the HK$500,000 from the safe in Mao’s room.
Mao has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) where he faces aggravated theft and false accusation charges.
This undated photo provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday shows the stolen cash.
