A Hong Kong-based air-conditioning salesman has pleaded guilty to bribing an unnamed director at the Wynn Macau in return for lucrative contracts at the casino.
An unnamed manager at the Wynn Macau, above, solicited bribes from air-conditioner supplier Oh Luen, according to Li’s guilty plea this week. (Image: Bloomberg)
Li Kin-wang, 59, is a senior sales manager at Oh Luen, which provides air-conditioning and maintenance to large companies.
He admitted Monday to greasing the unnamed Wynn director’s palms with three bribes worth over HKD450K (US$57K), according to Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Wynn Resorts Macau awarded around 70 air-conditioning maintenance contracts to Oh Luen worth HKD22 million (US$2.8 million), according to ICAC.
The agency noted that during the relevant period, 2014 to 2017, both Wynn Resorts Macau and the two air-conditioning companies experienced revenue growth, although Wynn’s growth was probably not related to air conditioning.
Cash for Contracts
Li was one of two individuals charged by ICAC in May 2022 with offering advantage to an agent without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, in violation of Hong Kong’s Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
The other was Woo Tak-hoi, 55, a director of Wai Luen, an associate company of Oh Luen. Woo has pleaded not guilty to two counts of bribery conspiracy. His trial begins this week in Hong Kong’s Eastern District Court.
Both men face up to seven years in prison if found guilty and a fine of up to HK$500,000 (US$64,000).
Li was originally charged with offering seven bribes to the director totaling more than HK$930,000 (US$118,470).
It’s unclear if the mysterious Wynn director is also facing charges. According to the ICAC he worked for Wynn Resorts (Macau from 2007 and had “responsibility for the procurement and award of repair and maintenance services.” Li testified the director began soliciting bribes from him from 2014.
Whistleblower Alert
The US operator owns two casinos in the gambling hub. Wynn Macau launched in September 2006, while Wynn Palace opened on the Cotai Strip in August 2016.
ICAC was alerted to possible bribery by an anonymous whistleblower in 2019. The agency was assisted by Macau’s Commission Against Corruption. Wynn Macau cooperated fully with the investigation, according to ICAC.
Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che adjourned the case to September 18 and granted Li bail.
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