A Christian group working to rehabilitate drug addicts in Hong Kong mentioned in an announcement it was “shocked” when authorities arrested 4 of its administrators on January 18 for conspiring to defraud donors of $6.4 million (HKD 50 million) in donations.
Three different principals – together with the group's founder Jacob Hay-sing Lam and the group's highschool principal Alman Siu-cheuk Chan – have been additionally charged however fled the nation after the investigation started. The Christian Zheng Sheng Affiliation promised to cooperate with the police investigation to “restore the establishment's status and innocence.”
Based in 1985, Zheng Sheng goals to construct a “holistic and interactive Christian therapeutic group” for drug addicts of all ages and assist them “restore their life values”. Additionally they opened the Christian Zheng Sheng School, a highschool that doubles as a rehabilitation middle, it says on its web site. Chinese language characters Zheng Sheng characterize the biblical phrases “repent and redeem” and “from dying to life”.
Considerations concerning the group arose due to a fundraiser that college principal Chan organized between October and December 2020. Chan claimed the varsity wanted funds in a 12 months of report low donations through the COVID-19 pandemic. The varsity ended up elevating $5.7 million by the marketing campaign.
Nonetheless, a police investigation discovered that lower than 10 p.c of the donations collected on the finish of 2020 truly went to the varsity. As a substitute, greater than 300 transactions have been made to different financial institution accounts, together with three private accounts co-owned by Chan and different charity administrators. The investigation additionally discovered that the charity transferred greater than $6.4 million in donations to its branches in the UK and the US.
Within the midst of a fraud case, the group maintains its innocence. Chui Hong-sheung, the top of the varsity, instructed native media that it was a “misunderstanding”. He mentioned the varsity borrowed $5 million from its guardian affiliation, however didn’t clarify why a number of the cash was despatched to private accounts.
“Zheng Sheng has at all times had a transparent angle through the years,” the charity mentioned in an announcement offered to CT. “Our purpose is to serve younger individuals by rules of fine governance. Our funds strictly adjust to charity legal guidelines, we’re audited by impartial accountants whose stories are revealed for public inspection.'
Lam based Zheng Sheng in 1985 and established a farm in Hong Kong's New Territories to rehabilitate male drug addicts. Within the Nineties, the group opened two extra facilities for younger women and men on Lantau Island. Then, in 1998, the varsity was opened for younger drug offenders to finish their secondary schooling. College students additionally develop different expertise resembling enjoying devices, working audiovisual gear, operating an ultramarathon, competing in archery competitions, writing Chinese language calligraphy and finding out the Bible.
“In Hong Kong, now we have so many younger individuals concerned in medicine,” Chan instructed Reuters in 2009. “They should be educated … going to high school provides them an opportunity at life, empowers them and reconnects them with society. Schooling creates a brand new standing, they’re college students, not prisoners.”
A former longtime affiliate of Lau Chun-wah, one of many administrators who was arrested, mentioned the charity was well-known amongst Hong Kong's Christian group. Non-Christians are additionally conscious of Zheng Sheng's work, as courts typically ship younger offenders to charity rehab amenities as an alternative of jail. The co-worker, who didn’t need to be named due to the sensitivity of the topic, mentioned she discovered Lau, who’s at the moment the principal of United Christian School, to be somebody who genuinely cares about his college students.
“He's a extremely dedicated Christian in schooling,” mentioned a former affiliate. “He’s an individual who likes to attempt new issues or create new actions or alternatives for college students … so once I heard the information that he was arrested by the police, I used to be very upset.”
She added: “In my private opinion, I don't consider he would cheat others out of cash.” As for Chan, “I've listened to him share and I believe he's a dedicated Christian in schooling,” she mentioned. “He actually needs to vary [the students].”
Chan, who’s now primarily based within the UK, posted a hyperlink on his Fb web page to encourage individuals to donate to the varsity simply days earlier than information of the scandal broke.
In the meantime, one other of the arrested administrators, Lee Wing-hung, mentioned he had repeatedly reminded founder Lam to reveal the charity's funds and cease transferring cash to non-public financial institution accounts. Lee mentioned the three administrators who fled ought to return to Hong Kong.
Nonetheless, when requested concerning the fraud case, Lam, who’s now within the US, responded with a imprecise assertion Dim Sum Day by day: “All through historical past, adversity has at all times been part of life, however man's unwavering dedication is mirrored within the annals of time.”
Denise Tsang, Firm Information Editor South China Morning Put upwrote in an opinion piece that she and her husband have been one in all many Christians in Hong Kong who supported the faculty, as Chan claimed that the majority college students who handed by the faculty have been capable of purify themselves and return to society.
Nonetheless, when she visited the varsity, she was shocked to see poor gear and meager meals, whilst donations poured in. She famous that some college students have been inspired to stay on campus after their court-ordered intervals ended so the varsity may proceed to just accept courses. Immediately the varsity has 17 pupils.
“One of many instant results of the scandal is that donors are prone to be cautious of giving cash, particularly to causes that aren’t historically 'common', resembling drug habit, versus serving to orphans, for instance,” Tsang wrote.