Former SFC manager charged over confidential file access
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption has charged former Securities and Futures Commission manager Tong Ka-lei, 39, over alleged unauthorised access to the regulator’s internal computer system.
She faces 12 counts of obtaining access to a computer with a view to dishonest gain for herself or another under the Crimes Ordinance.
The ICAC alleged that between December 2020 and December 2024, Tong carried out 12 unauthorised searches involving confidential case files and licensee data.
She is scheduled to appear at Eastern Court on Monday for a mention, while the wider corruption investigation remains ongoing.
Key Points
- Tong Ka-lei previously worked in the SFC’s enforcement division and, at the time of the alleged offences, was assigned to its corporate misconduct team.
- Her core duties involved investigating suspected fraud among Hong Kong-listed companies, according to the ICAC’s account of her role.
- Investigators alleged the 12 searches targeted 10 people and commercial entities on the SFC’s internal systems between December 2020 and December 2024.
- The ICAC said none of the 12 searches was related to Tong’s official duties or to cases then under her investigation.
- The allegations emerged after a joint operation by the ICAC and the SFC, and the securities regulator subsequently dismissed Tong.
Why It Matters
The case raises concerns about how confidential regulatory information is accessed and monitored inside one of Hong Kong’s key financial watchdogs.
For Hong Kong readers and market participants, the proceedings also focus attention on internal controls at agencies that handle sensitive enforcement files and licensee records.