Airport arrest in HK$2.84 million school places scam
HK01 · 2 SOURCES41 minutes ago3 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police have arrested a 51-year-old businessman over an alleged admissions scam involving promised places at Soochow Hangzhou College and claimed guaranteed progression to universities in Hong Kong or Macau. The case centres on about HK$2.84 million paid for 37 students, with the suspect later intercepted at Hong Kong International Airport while allegedly trying to leave the city.
Key Points
- Police said the suspect, surnamed Ting and aged 51, described himself as a businessman, while the complainant was a 45-year-old woman surnamed Yeung working as a consultant for a mainland education intermediary.
- On March 1, 2024, the two sides signed a contract under which the man claimed he could provide 50 places at Soochow Hangzhou College for the complainant's students.
- He also allegedly made an oral promise that students who completed the school's programme would be guaranteed admission to universities in Hong Kong or Macau regardless of their HKDSE results.
- Between April and July 2024, the complainant transferred about HK$2.84 million in 23 instalments to a mainland bank account designated by the suspect as application fees for 37 students.
- After no student received any admission offer from Soochow Hangzhou College or any Hong Kong or Macau university, and the man became unreachable, the woman reported the case in Hong Kong in early May 2026.
- HK01 said the suspect was first arrested at a hotel lobby in Hung Hom on the night of May 6, 2026, and was then detained again at the airport on July 29, 2026, when he allegedly tried to leave Hong Kong
- The case is being handled as fraud by the Hung Hom district crime squad, with Regional Crime Unit investigators having tracked the suspect before the airport interception, according to Sing Tao
- HK01 reported the man had served as a director of several parent-teacher, neighbourhood welfare and foundation bodies, and had previously appeared at public events using those identities
- HK01 also reported court records show he had earlier legal troubles, including a 1994 fraud case in which he absconded on bail and a child abuse case that led to imprisonment in 2008
Why It Matters
The allegations touch a sensitive area for Hong Kong families and cross-border education agents because they involve school admissions and claimed guaranteed university pathways, both of which can be difficult for outsiders to verify. The case is also likely to draw attention to how individuals use education-sector titles, associations and public-facing networks to build credibility before money changes hands