Whistle-blower Jason Poon and wife charged over HK$6 million Covid-19 loan fraud

Hong Kong businessman Jason Poon Chuk-hung and his wife have been charged with defrauding a government financing scheme for businesses out of HK$6 million during the Covid-19 pandemic, the South China Morning Post has learned.

A source said on Friday that construction businessman Poon, 56, and his 54-year-old wife, both out on bail, had been charged with conspiracy to defraud and money laundering and would appear at Kowloon Court on Monday.

Poon, director of mask manufacturer Lockill Biochemical, his wife Chu Shui-fong and four company employees were arrested in March.

The SCMP previously reported that police intelligence suggested a surgical mask manufacturer had allegedly defrauded HSBC out of HK$6 million via the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme during the pandemic.