Hong Kong police have arrested the principal and a director of a now-suspended private school for allegedly collecting HK$1.8 million (US$231,624) in fees from several parents without approval last year.
Advertisement
Police said they had previously received multiple reports from parents alleging that Inno Secondary School in Kowloon Tong had collected capital levies – payments made by students to fund long-term projects such as facility upgrades and redevelopment – with the promise these would be refunded if the students left the institution.
But the complainants were unable to recover full refunds after the school ceased operations earlier this year, leading them to suspect they had fallen victim to fraud.
The total losses were estimated to be HK$1.84 million, the force said.
Officers arrested a 36‑year‑old man and a 44‑year‑old woman in Ngau Tau Kok on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud on Thursday, following an investigation by Kowloon West’s regional crime unit.
Advertisement
A source told the Post the pair were the school’s principal Thomas Qi Wendi and its director, Zhao Xi.