Hong Kong police investigate after man arrested over forged documents to apply for early withdrawal of HK$75,000 MPF pension
- Arrest of 36-year-old in Tsing Yi comes a week after city’s graft-buster revealed it had arrested 20 people on suspicion of committing similar offence
- Police say he was offered assistance for his Mandatory Provident Fund withdrawal application in exchange for HK$27,000 commission
Hong Kong police have launched an investigation after they arrested a man for allegedly forging documents to apply for early withdrawal of his HK$75,000 (US$9,580) pension.
Why Hong Kong emigrants are worried about arrests over early MPF withdrawals
The company suspected some of its members were making false declarations of permanent departure from Hong Kong to apply for early withdrawal of a total of more than HK$1 million from their pensions.
Residents can only withdraw the funds before the age of 65 if they can show they are permanently departing the city, have become unable to ever work again or are terminally ill.
“Our investigation found the suspect was promised assistance in applying for early withdrawal of their MPF, and would be charged a HK$27,000 commission if the application was approved,” police said.
The case is ongoing and the force has not ruled out more arrests.
The man was arrested on suspicion of using a false instrument to make the early withdrawal claims, which police warned was punishable by up to 14 years in jail.
The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority on Wednesday expressed grave concerns over the latest case and said it was fully cooperating with the investigation.
The authority warned that offenders making false or misleading statements for early withdrawal could be charged under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance.
Former Hong Kong district councillor arrested over MPF law breach
Last Friday, it said one of the suspects, the insurance agent, had allegedly taken bribes to help MPF members withdraw their pensions early by fabricating evidence of employment and residence in mainland China.
In 2021, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority said it would no longer recognise the British National (Overseas) passport as proof of identity in the city, after the United Kingdom announced the BN(O) visa migration pathway in July 2020 following Beijing’s imposition of the national security law in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong graft-buster arrests 20 people for allegedly faking MPF documents
The move prevented some scheme members from using the passport or its associated visa as evidence to apply for early withdrawal of the pension fund.
The earlier arrests were said to have surprised some Hong Kong emigrants in the UK, who had followed the advice of agents and made similar claims to withdraw money from their MPF accounts to finance their move.
Some were worried that they might be prosecuted if they returned to Hong Kong to visit.
