A former supervisor of a Tung Wah Group of Hospitals nursery school admitted at Eastern Magistracy that she had asked for a $60,000 bribe from a subordinate and deceived 40  parents into handing over more than $120,000 in tutorial fees.

The ICAC charged Karen Tsoi Ching-yin, 35, a former supervisor of Ng Sheung Lan Memorial Nursery School, with one count of soliciting an advantage, and one of conspiracy to defraud. She pleaded guilty to both charges.

The court heard that on July 17, 2006, the defendant informed a nursery school childcare worker that she would be transferred to another school under the same group. The defendant then solicited a loan of $60,000 as a reward for helping the childcare worker remain employed at the school.

The defendant also admitted that she had conspired with another person to defraud 40 parents at the school, accepting tutorial fees from them amounting to $122,100.

She told the parents they had to pay for English and Putonghua tutorials organised by an education centre between January and September 2006.The fees, though, were wholly borne by the Tung Wah Group.

The magistrate adjourned the case until September 25 for mitigation, pending a probation order and background reports. The defendant was granted cash bail of $10,000, and ordered not to leave Hong Kong.