A non-resident worker was arrested for embezzlement of more than 220,000 patacas from a takeaway where he worked, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Choi Ian Fai during a regular press conference yesterday.
The 44-year-old male suspect is surnamed Chen from the mainland.
According to Choi, a mainland student reported to the police on Friday he suspected that one of his employees embezzled 220,000 patacas from the takeaway he co-owns between January and March when he was unable to return to Macau because of the COVID-19 entry restrictions at that time.
The victim, whose name was not revealed, told the police that he had employed Chen at the takeaway in Iao Hon district since 2017 and entrusted him with the additional responsibility of working as a cashier in 2018. The victim had asked Chen to provide him daily income details via WeChat and deposit the money into a local bank regularly, according to Choi.
Choi said that when victim had not been able to enter Macau due to COVID-19 epidemic prevention measures in place since January, Chen did not send him any income or business transaction details via WeChat from January to the end of March, and neither had any funds been deposited into the bank account.
Consequently, the victim asked a co-owner to go to the takeaway to check its finances at the end of March, when it emerged that at least 220,000 patacas had vanished.
According to Choi, the victim came back to Macau on Wednesday to clarify the matter with Chen who, according to the victim, admitted the embezzlement. The victim on Friday reported the case to the police who arrested the suspect at the takeaway later that day. Chen refused to cooperate with the police.
Chen was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Saturday, facing an abuse-of-trust charge involving a considerable large amount of money, officially defined as exceeding 150,000 patacas, according to Choi.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Choi Ian Fai (left) and Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Cheuk Kou Chi pose yesterday’s regular press conference. Photo: Camy Tam
