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Crime

Hong Kong’s ICAC charges 5 over alleged building renovation bribery scheme

Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has charged five people over alleged bribes – including casino chips and red packets – offered to flat owners and owners’…

By Samantha Johnson / March 25, 2026

Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has charged five people over alleged bribes – including casino chips and red packets – offered to flat owners and owners’ corporation members during large-scale renovation projects, worth about HK$90 million (US$11.5 million), at three housing estates.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Wednesday disclosed details of its crackdown on a crime syndicate accused of “manipulating tendering exercises” for building maintenance projects through bribery and bid-rigging. The arrests followed a joint operation with the Competition Commission, code-named “Shotgun”.

The charges followed a separate operation into renovation projects that led to the arrest of 22 people in February. The ICAC raided companies linked to dubious renovation dealings at seven buildings across the city, involving contracts worth more than HK$200 million.

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“Paying close attention to corruption in building management and maintenance, the ICAC adopts a three-pronged strategy of law enforcement, systemic prevention and community education, and works closely with other government departments and organisations in combating corruption and other illicit activities in building maintenance works,” the agency said.

The cases were mentioned at Eastern Court on Wednesday morning.

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The alleged bribes were offered between 2020 and 2024, in projects at Yan Tsui Court in Chai Wan, Hoi Tao Building in Kennedy Town and Victory Garden in Kwai Chung, all of which were undergoing renovation at the time.

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