Former church treasurer remanded over HK$23.8 million theft case
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
A 56-year-old former treasurer of Shek Yam Alliance Baptist Church Co. Ltd. appeared at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on September 2 in case WKCC4127/2026, facing 21 charges of theft, forgery and money laundering. The defendant, Wong Ka-kei (黃家基), was not required to enter a plea at this stage, and the case was adjourned to October 12 for committal proceedings at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. Magistrate refused his bail application after hearing submissions, and he was remanded in custody. Prosecutors allege he stole more than HK$23.8 million from the church between December 2007 and July 2025 and dealt with HK$68.6 million in suspected crime proceeds.
Key Points
- Wong, 56 and reported as unemployed, faces three theft charges, 16 forgery charges and two money-laundering charges, making 21 counts in total.
- The three theft charges allege the taking of two choses in action worth HK$20,017,083 and HK$3,734,923 in cash belonging to the church.
- The alleged theft period ran from December 2007 to July 31, 2025, spanning roughly 18 years according to the prosecution case.
- Sixteen forgery charges allege false annual reports and financial statements from 2009 to 2024 were made to appear issued and signed by accounting firms.
- The two money-laundering charges allege handling HK$68,645,165.62 in a HSBC account between February 3, 2010 and July 2, 2025.
Why It Matters
The case centres on alleged long-term misuse of a religious organisation’s finances, raising concern over how internal accounts, annual reports and external verification were handled over many years. For Hong Kong readers, the proceedings will also test how alleged theft, forged financial records and suspected crime proceeds are linked in a single prosecution before the case is sent to the High Court process.