Commission Against Corruption, Macao SAR

The CCAC unveiled a case of document forgery and fraud over government subsidies involving the President of Board of Directors of an association of Macao, who has allegedly submitted false information to various government departments in attempt to defraud over subsidies. The involved amount totaled MOP1,040,000. The case was referred to the Public Prosecutions Office today (25th September).

The CCAC received a report earlier that a certain association cheated the government of subsidies by understating the actual revenue of the association. After investigation, it came to light that the said association made an application to the Health Bureau, the Macao Foundation and the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture in July and October 2011 respectively concerning subsidy of its 2012's operation cost. Meanwhile, when the suspect applied for a subsidy item entitled "subsidy for professionals" from the Health Bureau and the Macao Foundation, he declared in the application documents that the association had not sought any sponsorship from any other institutions under the same category. Finally, the association received subsidies from the two government institutions, with the duplicated portion totaling to an approximate amount of MOP355,000.

Moreover, the suspect, when reporting to the subsidising institutions over the use of the subsidies, intentionally concealed the fact that the said association had recorded a surplus of some MOP 1 million. By means of making false statement, overstating expenditure, understating and omitting revenue, he/she made relevant government institutions believe that the subsidy applications met the requirement and the subsidies had been consumed with even a deficit recorded in the operation of the association. Such acts were carried out in attempt to avoid returning the subsidies to the government institutions.

The acts of the suspect allegedly constituted offences of document forgery and fraud involving considerably high value. During investigation, the suspect confessed that he/she had intentionally submitted false documents to government institutions to obtain improper benefits for the association. According to the Penal Code, offenders of document forgery and fraud involving considerably high value shall be liable to imprisonment for a maximum term of three years and ten years respectively.