A retired Hong Kong social worker behind a dropped legal challenge against the approval of the San Tin Technopole project’s environmental study has admitted to concealing his financial assets to defraud authorities out of HK$16,780 (US$2,137) in welfare benefits.
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Eddie Tse Sai-kit on Thursday pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud for obtaining monthly aid of HK$4,195 on four occasions without notifying the Social Welfare Department that his income exceeded the limit for receiving an old age living allowance.
The 68-year-old defendant was arrested early this year while he was challenging an environmental impact assessment report that endorsed the development of a technology hub near the mainland Chinese border.
Despite securing permission from the High Court to commence judicial review proceedings, Tse later dropped the case, citing “widespread harassment and intimidation”.
The court heard that Tse had applied for an old age living allowance in June 2023 and claimed his monthly income was HK$5,000, which was below the then limit of HK$10,710.
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He received a total of HK$80,460 from the department between July 2023 and December 2024.
But the social worker failed to declare his earnings from Polytechnic University, where he had worked as a part-time supervisor from January 2021 to May this year.