Three local women have been arrested for allegedly defrauding the government of about 3.9 million patacas in crèche subsidies by fabricating employment relationships and forging payroll bank records, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Wai Lok said during a special press conference yesterday.
Ho identified the three suspects as a 63-year-old woman surnamed Ieong, who was the person in charge of a crèche in Taipa and the alleged mastermind; a 39-year-old businesswoman surnamed Lao; and a 47-year-old accountant surnamed Wong. A local man, who also participated in the scheme, remains at large.
According to public broadcaster TDM, Ieong is a former vice-director of the Financial Services Bureau (DSF) and the Economic Services Bureau (DSE). TDM identified the crèche as SMART Nursery at Zonta Club of Macau.
According to Ho, the investigation began on July 31 after the police received authorisation from the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) to investigate suspected fraud involving a crèche in Taipa.
The centre’s person in charge signed a government funding agreement with the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) in August 2019, and the facility began operating the following month. The government provided the centre with premises, facilities, and financial subsidies, including funding for staff salaries. The crèche was required to declare its income and expenditure truthfully and return any unused funds to the bureau, Ho said.
However, investigators found that the two female suspects surnamed Lao and Wong, respectively, and the male suspect had never worked at the centre. Nonetheless, the crèche allegedly fabricated their employment and payroll records to pass government subsidy reviews and continue receiving public funds, Ho added.
The alleged fraud dates back to January 2020, Ho said, adding that preliminary investigations indicate that the 63-year-old suspect alone was involved in defrauding about 1.8 million patacas, while the exact amounts involving the other three suspects and the total government funding received by the crèche remain under investigation.
However, Ho put the total, provisionally estimated fraud at 3.9 million patacas.
According to Ho, police arrested the three women on Wednesday at their respective homes and seized their mobile phones, two computers, and a hard drive as evidence. The male suspect, who has been away from Macau for an extended period, remains at large, and police are pursuing his arrest.
The four suspects face charges of fraud involving a considerably large amount, computer forgery, money laundering, and membership of a criminal organisation. The three arrestees were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday for further questioning the possible arraignment of a range of charges.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the three hooded women suspected of subsidy fraud to a police vehicle outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photo: MPDG
