A Hong Kong policeman has admitted concealing the full extent of his debts to secure HK$280,000 (US$35,723) in loans from the force’s credit union, claiming that his divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife had clouded his judgment.
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Traffic officer Shum Sze-long, 45, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a count of fraud and one of attempted fraud for providing inaccurate and incomplete information to the Hong Kong Police Credit Union when he applied for two loans in 2020 and 2021.
Fanling Court heard that the now-suspended officer understated his monthly instalment of a loan previously extended to him by another financial institution when he borrowed HK$198,000 from the credit union on March 11, 2020.
Shum claimed that he was required to make a monthly repayment of HK$6,625, whereas the actual amount exceeded HK$15,000.
He also hid from the union the fact that he had signed up to an individual voluntary arrangement, a legally binding debt restructuring plan, when he sought another loan of HK$80,280 on May 24, 2021.
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Defence counsel highlighted in mitigation the “exceptional circumstances” of Shum’s transgression, noting that the officer was emotionally disturbed by divorce proceedings with his ex-wife.