Two local men were arrested on Friday for cheating the government’s medical subsidy fund through the illegal use of medical e-vouchers last year, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lun said at a special press conference on Friday afternoon.

The suspects are a 60-year-old traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner surnamed Lai who worked in a clinic in Rua da Praia do Manduco and a 70-year-old man surnamed Leong who was the person-in-charge of a TCM pharmacy in Praça de Ponte e Horta in the Inner Harbour area.

According to Leng, the clinic opened in 2012 and the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) had requested the Judiciary Police last October to investigate the clinic for allegedly using medical e-vouchers to defraud the government’s medical subsidy fund.

Leng said that the Health Bureau’s (SSM) discovered during its data review last year that the number of patients and the use of the government-issued digital vouchers at the clinic had suddenly increased. In March, the number of patients had reached 341, while the use of e-vouchers by patients had risen from about 20,000 to 50,000 patacas per month. In March the amount reached 470,000 patacas. The bureau suspected that the steep increase was due to the imminent expiration of the vouchers in 2018.

According to Leng, the clinic received more than 2.2 million patacas from the government’s medical subsidy fund between May 2019 and last December. PJ officers discovered that the clinic was “not very big” and the number of patients was “not very many.” However, the number of medical records, the total amount of consultation fees, and the number of consultations were “unreasonable” and “inconsistent” with the number of patients and the clinic’s size.

The officers discovered that some of the purported patients were not in Macau when they supposedly used the digital vouchers.

Leng said that the Judiciary Police took action on Friday morning and arrested Lai at the clinic and Leong at the TCM pharmacy. PJ officers seized evidence of forged medical records, receipts and data checking records. Under questioning, Leong admitted that he introduced patients to Lai’s clinic to use their e-vouchers without seeking medical consultation. Afterwards, the “patients” could use the bogus “consultation receipts” to buy TCM remedies or dried seafood at Leong’s shop at a discounted price. Leong received 70 percent of the ill-gotten gains from Lai

However, Lai refused to cooperate with the police.

Leng said at least a dozen residents were involved in the fraud case and the Judiciary Police were continuing their investigation into the case, namely concerning the possible involvement of more suspects.

The duo were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday, facing charges of document forgery and fraud involving a considerable amount, officially defined as exceeding 150,000 patacas, according to Leng.

Evidence seized from the suspects such as notebooks, bank passbooks, two smartphones, a laptop and e-vouchers is displayed at the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters on Friday. Photos: Iong Tat Choi

The two hooded suspects are escorted by the Judiciary Police (PJ) officers to a vehicle at the PJ headquarters on Friday.