Chapter 691: 676 ICAC Defects to Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu, Raids Hong Kong Telecom

On the Hong Kong side.

The day Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu sent Zhang Chunru and Gao Jin to the airport to go to Jin Ling.

That same night,

A disguised Faiman came to the Kowloon Ice Room in Causeway Bay.

He met with Da Tou.

Faiman ordered a cup of silk stocking milk tea.

Da Tou sat opposite him, eating a pineapple bun.

The entire Kowloon Ice Room had been cleared out, and Ah Kang stood at the cashier, guarding the entrance to prevent other customers from coming in to disturb them.

Faiman talked about Hong Kong Telecom seeking help from the Hong Kong government.

"We want to get this money, but we don't want to be enemies with Mr. Guan, so we hope to be able to stage a play with Mr. Guan."

"20 million, we only want 17 million USD, and you take 3 million USD."

Da Tou nodded: "No problem."

It was free money, an unexpected joy.

Faiman: "Also, we don't trust Cable & Wireless; they might track our accounts, so we hope the Five Star Group can help provide an account. After the 20 million is in hand, you pass it through, and use other funds to transfer 17 million to us."

Da Tou: "This is another procedure; we have to charge extra..."

Faiman: "How much?"

Da Tou: "We're all brothers, 2 million USD."

Faiman: "Good."

Getting 15 million USD, very reasonable.

Of course, this money hadn't been laundered yet and hadn't become their legal income, so it couldn't be called money laundering.

"Happy cooperation~~"

"Happy cooperation~~"

The two shook hands and smiled slightly.

Ah Kang, the shop owner not far away: "............"

He really wanted to ask Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu for money; if he didn't get money, he was afraid Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu would kill him to silence him.

……

……

The next day,

Hong Kong, 22:00.

The night was dark,

Viceroy's Mansion, study,

The lights were on, as if they were the lights illuminating Hong Kong... yeah, right!

"Your Excellency the Viceroy, 20 million USD, we agree."

Patten and Bai Lide sat on the sofa, drinking coffee.

Bai Lide said with a sincere face.

Patten smiled: "That's more like it. You make so much money; if you don't share a little, who would treat you like family?"

Bai Lide: "............"

Looking at the greedy face of the Viceroy in front of him, he really wanted to kick his mouth to pieces!

He lowered his head to admit his mistake: "Your Excellency the Viceroy is right, I was reckless before."

Patten laughed: "Good, from now on we are friends!"

Patten before evolution: Passionate! Great Britain, loyal!

Patten after evolution: The East has a good saying—a villain gets his way. As long as you become a villain, you can get your way!

My former self was really too stupid!

Pain! Pain! Pain!

Fortunately, it's not too late to correct it now!

*Jie jie jie~~~~*

Bai Lide: "Your Excellency the Viceroy, may I ask how to give this money?"

Patten took out a piece of paper with an account number written on it: "I'll give you this Swiss bank account number. Whenever you transfer the money to me, I'll handle it for you."

After all, it was taking money without doing the work, so he had to get the money in hand first.

Bai Lide: "Good!"

He had no idea he was about to be scammed.

……

A new day, morning.

Viceroy's Mansion,

Faiman was late again, again, again.

Arika: "Faiman, you're late again!"

Faiman: "I am the First Secretary!"

At this time, Patten was eating curry rice for breakfast with great relish. Seeing Faiman walk in, he looked up and met Faiman's eyes.

Confirmed the look.

"Done?"

"Yes!"

Eye contact.

Patten immediately breathed a sigh of relief, his mood great.

This was the largest sum of money he had ever received, 15 million USD; he took 10 million, and Faiman took 5 million.

As for Major?

Sorry, I, Patten, am clean-handed and upright; I have never accepted any bribes!

As long as Major has no evidence, he can't do anything to me.

Patten was now sure that Major had no way to replace him with a new Viceroy.

Why?

Because in May 1993, Fat Patten took office.

In March 1994, Patten took office.

If the Viceroy were changed again, what would happen to the international influence? Would it let the whole world see that the UK had lost control of Hong Kong and make the UK a laughingstock?

As long as Patten performed well and showed loyalty, Major couldn't do anything to him.

"Very good!"

"Today's curry rice is very delicious."

Patten, in a great mood, praised the chef in person.

The chef smiled.

But he felt a bit strange inside: recently, for some reason, Patten had been in a great mood and rarely lost his temper.

……

……

On the other side,

Sai Kung, High Island Reservoir,

The autumn wind was refreshing; it was the perfect time for fishing.

At 10 AM, Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu, Chen Yongren, and their group arrived at the reservoir and started fishing.

2 kilometers away, a Passat came along the road toward them.

In the car was the superior of the ICAC's Lu Zhilian—Yu Hongsheng.

His destination was High Island Reservoir, where Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu was fishing.

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu had notified him to come.

He knew how precious this opportunity was.

He had licked the foreigners for so long; did he think he could just defect to Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu if he wanted to? Defect to the mainland if he wanted to?

That also depended on whether he had the connections.

Without connections, once 1998 started, he could just wait to be liquidated.

And now, Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu's notification was undoubtedly giving him a path.

So he was dressed very formally, in a suit and tie, looking like a good person.

Soon,

He arrived at High Island Reservoir and saw a row of cars parked on the reservoir dam.

He recognized Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu's car at a glance.

At this time, two Five Star boys on the side of the road blocked the car's path: "Please stop, who are you?"

A temporary checkpoint.

Yu Hongsheng stuck his head out: "Two brothers, my name is Yu Hongsheng. I was notified by Mr. Guan's secretary to come and pay a visit to Mr. Guan."

Hearing this, the two Five Star boys let him pass: "Go on through."

Soon,

Yu Hongsheng walked to Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu's fishing spot.

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu was wearing a hat, pulling on his fishing rod.

"Mr. Guan..."

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu glanced at Yu Hongsheng and gestured to the side: "Sit."

Yu Hongsheng respectfully sat on a stone nearby... well, it was a bit prickly on the butt, but he could endure it.

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu focused on holding the fishing rod, saying while talking: "Originally, I was prepared to clear you out in 1998. After all, you've made quite a few 'contributions' to the ICAC over these years."

Cold sweat broke out on Yu Hongsheng's forehead, and he hurriedly said:

"Mr. Guan, I admit my mistake. I absolutely won't do it again in the future. As long as Mr. Guan tells me to hit someone, I'll hit them!"

He knew that arguing was useless; admitting his mistake and his attitude were the key points.

And Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu calling him over must have had something to instruct him.

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu chuckled: "You're very sensible."

Yu Hongsheng was serious: "No, I'm just standing on the side of justice, because you, Mr. Guan, represent justice."

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu smiled: "Good, next, I need you to handle one thing."

Yu Hongsheng was serious: "Please instruct me, Mr. Guan."

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu: "Take the ICAC people to investigate Hong Kong Telecom. It would be best to catch that Bai Lide and throw him in to cool his heels for a few days."

Then he took out a file bag and put it in his hand.

"Inside here is the direction for your investigation."

Yu Hongsheng opened it.

Inside were two sets of reporting materials.

The first: Profit transfer report: Through offshore companies, international communication business income was recorded in overseas subsidiaries, transferring over 300 million HKD in profits annually.

The second: Tax fraud: Using monopoly status to falsely report costs and evade local taxes.

After reading it, Yu Hongsheng was full of righteousness: "I didn't expect Hong Kong Telecom to actually commit such illegal and undisciplined acts... Mr. Guan, please rest assured, our ICAC will definitely follow your instructions and investigate this to the end!"

He couldn't wait to make a merit immediately and get his "letter of allegiance."

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu waved his hand: "Go~~~~"

Yu Hongsheng left quickly.

Eager to make a merit, he was full of aggression at this time!

……

ICAC,

Conference room,

After returning, Yu Hongsheng immediately summoned his two subordinate teams, one of which included Lu Zhilian's team.

In the conference room, the air conditioning was turned on full blast,

Yu Hongsheng sat in the main seat, tapping the conference table rhythmically with his fingertips.

"Everyone,"

"The ICAC is currently facing an unprecedented crisis of trust. Hong Kong citizens all doubt our fairness, impartiality, and professionalism."

"We need to fight a big battle as soon as possible to let the citizens see our justice and strength!"

All the ICAC personnel had serious expressions.

Yu-sir was right.

Recent public opinion was indeed unfavorable to the ICAC, and there had been quite a bit of criticism, which made everyone a bit unable to stand it.

Yu Hongsheng gave an inflammatory opening and then quickly entered the main topic.

"This morning, I received an anonymous report material about Hong Kong Telecom."

Yu Hongsheng held up the document in his hand.

And in front of everyone's desk, there was also a copy.

"This report material involves two major illegal acts by Hong Kong Telecom."

"The first: Profit transfer!"

"Hong Kong Telecom set up shell companies in the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands to intercept international communication business income overseas. You must know that in 1994, Hong Kong Telecom's international business revenue accounted for 25%. According to the report clues, at least 500 million HKD in profits were not included in local tax accounting every year."

"This money was not taxed and all became the overseas private property of certain people."

Next, he pointed to the cost statement in the second material:

"The second is about tax fraud."

"As a monopoly enterprise, Hong Kong Telecom clearly reached a profit margin of over 30%, but it was still insatiable, using government regulatory loopholes to falsely report line maintenance and equipment procurement costs."

"Among them, the submarine cable maintenance fees they declared were 40% higher than the actual market price."

"These false expenses not only significantly compressed book profits but also caused the Hong Kong government to lose tens of millions in tax revenue every year."

The ICAC personnel present all had serious expressions.

One staff member leaned in to look closely at the statement and raised a question: "Hong Kong Telecom's data must have been audited by professional accounting firms, so the difficulty of obtaining evidence is very high."

Yu Hongsheng was serious: "Therefore, our actions must be fast. The first step is to raid Hong Kong Telecom's finance office and seal up the accounting vouchers and server data for the past three years."

He scanned the room, his tone firm:

"Hong Kong Telecom has long monopolized the market. This investigation is not only about economic crime but also about the fairness and future of Hong Kong's telecommunications industry."

"The ICAC is duty-bound!"

"Moreover, the ICAC also needs a big battle to regain the citizens' confidence in us!"

"Do you have confidence!"

Everyone's spirits were lifted, and they shouted in unison: "Yes!!"

Yu Hongsheng: "Good! The action details have been issued. We will set off on time in twenty minutes!"

"Meeting adjourned!"

20 minutes later,

*Boom boom boom~~~~*

A motorcade left the ICAC building and headed toward Hong Kong Telecom.

……

……

Hong Kong Telecom Building,

Bai Lide stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the bustling traffic outside.

Although the stock price had fallen, he had managed to handle the Viceroy after all. As long as the Viceroy helped, the Hong Kong Telecom company couldn't be dismantled, which meant it wouldn't affect its monopoly status, thereby stabilizing profits, and the stock price would rise back sooner or later.

Suddenly,

*Tap tap tap~~~~*

Dense footsteps came from outside.

"Who are you?"

"ICAC~~~"

His face changed, and his hand holding the coffee cup froze in mid-air.

He had only been focusing on the Legislative Council, but had forgotten about the ICAC.

At this time,

The office door was pushed open.

Yu Hongsheng walked in with two subordinates:

"President Bai Lide, I am ICAC Investigation Officer—Yu Hongsheng!"

"Now someone has reported you, suspecting you of being involved in profit transfer and tax fraud. Please come back to the ICAC with us to assist in the investigation!"

……

High Island Reservoir.

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu, who was fishing, received a call from Da Tou; the ICAC had taken action.

Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu chuckled.

That Bai Lide thought Director Director Director Guan Zu Zu would only start dealing with Hong Kong Telecom from the Legislative Council.

*Heh~~~*

Naive!

Go sit at the kids' table!

———————————— ===== CHAPTER 692 =====