Hong Kong police look into claims Han Academy owes parents HK$5.8 million

Hong Kong police and education authorities are looking into claims that a school has failed to refund at least HK$5.8 million (US$745,970) worth of debentures to parents who withdrew their children from the institution.

A lawmaker helping the parents also said on Wednesday that Han Academy was HK$100 million in debt.

Education minister Christine Choi Yuk-lin said her bureau had already asked the Aberdeen-based private school to stop charging parents a capital levy, at a cost of HK$600,000 per student, after authorities became aware of its financial difficulties.

A police spokeswoman said its Western division had received reports from 11 parents between November 15 and 18 over claims they had been defrauded as they had not received refunds for their debentures.

“It involves around HK$5.8 million, but they could not get the refund after their children withdrew from the school,” she said.

She added no arrests had been made and the case was classified as “request for police investigation”. The Western district crime squad will follow up.