Three people have been charged for bribery and fraud involving $1.8 million in cash compensation over three Urban Renewal Authority redevelopment projects.

Kind Year director Yip Wa-ming, 40, property agent Chan Lai-ying, 33, and housekeeping assistant Jennifer Ng Suk-ling, 39, will appear in Kowloon City Magistracy September 22 in two separate cases.

In the first case, Yip faces four alleged offences - one of offering an advantage to a public servant, one of fraud, and two of conspiracy to defraud. The bribery charge alleges Yip offered $100,000 to an authority assistant manager as reward for providing confidential information on a project at Larch Street and Bedford Road in Tai Kok Tsui. Yip allegedly conspired with another to defraud the authority in relation to an application for cash compensation connected to the project.

Yip faces a similar charge of conspiracy to defraud the authority in relation to another project on Lee Tung Street, Wan Chai, plus another count of fraud over a project on Reclamation Street, Mong Kok.

Cash conspiracy

Chan faces eight alleged offences - seven of conspiracy to defraud and one of fraud. The seven charges allege Chan conspired with Yip and possibly others to defraud the authority over the same projects. Chan is also alleged to have, with intent to defraud, induced the authority to grant her cash compensation at an amount larger than she was entitled.

Yip and Chan allegedly swindled $1,677,500 in cash compensation from the authority.

In the second case, Ng faces one count of conspiring with another to defraud the authority on cash compensation relating to the Reclamation Street project. The cash compensation involved amounted to $119,000.

The alleged offences in the two cases occurred between June 2002 and January last year.

The defendants have been released on bail.