Takeaway owner still owes £100k
Monday 26th September 2011, 2:29PM BST.
A CHINESE takeaway owner who owes more than £100,000 on a confiscation order has been told that he is very close to being sent to prison after again failing to pay it.
Mr Wong (pictured) , whose real name is Chi Hung Wong, pleaded guilty last October to failing to deduct income tax from three Malaysian illegal immigrants who worked at his takeaway, Harbour View, at the Bridge.
The Royal Court granted a confiscation order for £268,556, which represented 40% of his business’s takings while the illegal immigrants worked there.
Mr Wong was able to pay off £80,000 but said he needed to sell his home to raise the remaining £188,556. At a hearing in August the Royal Court was told that Mr Wong had not paid off any more of the debt because he had been unable to sell his property due to uncertainty about the future of the open market.
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That is very unfair – OK he did something wrong but to be fined so heavily and at the risk of losing his home and sent to prison – yet others who commit more serious crimes i.e. murder and man-slaughter are let off on reduced sentences with no risk of losing their homes – totally unfair!
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Make him sell his house at a knockdown price for just enough to cover the debt rather than holding out for the full open market price. It’ll soon get snapped up then.
He can live at Les Nicolles until the sale goes through.
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Perhaps he should of thought about this BEFORE he employed illigal imigrants
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Who breaks a butterfly prawn on a wheel?
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Zelda
What he did was a crime and he deserves everything he gets, he stole from YOU and me , i.e the taxpayers
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I just love the “feel sorry me expression”, he got what he deserved,here on the mainland this type of offence is going on all the time and should be stamped out.
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I’m intrigued as to how the fine level was drawn up. 40% of his business takings during the period the illegal employees were employed.
If you think about it for a minute, that’s twice the tax they would have paid if he’d paid them 100% of his takings as a salary.
I wonder what the actual tax lost was.
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I don’t think he is trying very hard – houses always sell at auction. The court should order it.
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Why should we pay for him to be in our prison, he’s not local! Do as Brazil Nut said.
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with the money he owes the tax the states could employ another consultat for 12 wks,,,,???
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Money first people second, is this really how things should be?
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I wonder is he being charged interest on the amount STILL outstanding ?
I bet he wasnt looking so glum when he thought he was quids in taking on the illegal immigrants as cheap labour.
Glad the full force of the law is on him prehaps others will take notice and not take the risk of doing the same thing. He got caught and he has to pay the price(wasnt worth it was it, doing the wrong thing )
A Lesson to learn.
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Mark
I think they would have looked at the sales figure in his accounts and time apportioned it, then taking 40%.
As well as not paying tax they would have not paid social security. In 2010 for the employee this was 6% and for the employer 6.5%.
I do not know if they took this into consideration or if he was just being fined for his criminal behaviour. It does not seem he has done any jail time.
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It is quite a hefty fine but you wouldn’t think it too much if you had been a competitor trying to stay in business whilst employing legal taxpaying staff. How do you think he got the money for an open market house in the first place? As for not being able to sell it – utter nonsense. Put it up for auction, it will sell at a fair price and the cash comes in within days.
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The same situation happened to a person in Dorset who was raided by the police.
His fine was so low, it was just ridiculous.
I even heard from somebody that he was astonised how low the fine was. It was petty cash to him.
But as some says it is going on all over the place in the UK as they have no idea of the number of people who have entered the country.
Apparently the new computer system will not be working for a few years. The mind boggles.
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Umm, I wonder if Mr Wong, was Mr Falla/le Page, whatever, whether people would be so quick to say he deserved it? But wait, no one from guernsey would ever employ illegal people!!!
The fine is too high, it is a bit like me getting a parking ticket and then having to pay 40% of my salary whilst I was owning the car that got the ticket…
Mr Wong should appeal, the fine is a joke.
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gbc
I would still feel the same if a local carried out the crime. You must remember that his crime was very much pre-meditated. It must have been quite difficult (hopefully) to get illegal immigrants on to the island. Not just one but three of them. So if one sense he has broke the law by dismissing immigration law to begin with if he aided in their arrival. Even then he must have known and said nothing, which is extremely unethical.
Then he went on to not pay their tax and social security. I imagine the wages that he paid them were extremely low because he could get away with it – there would be no-one to complain to. He was probably laughing.
The amount of deceit he was involved with as well to keep these people of the islands radar should be considered too.
I believe your analogy is incorrect – you only have to pay circa £30 for a parking fine. This is because it is not a serious fine. What he did on the other hand was a serious crime and his fine should be reperesentative. There was no jail time.
His behaviour should not be sympathised with. It he had any deceny he would not appeal the fine but accept his punishment and take it like a man.
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So where were these illegal workers housed, and who did they have to pay rent too?…Mm! I wonder?
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I see he’s marketing the place at £1.1M. Last listed purchase price in 2006 is listed as £675,000.
Knocking a couple of hundred thousand or so off the asking price should speed up the sale and still leave enough over [even if he had a 100% mortgage] to clear his dues. And to clear off.
Dani is correct about the premeditation. He even put forward at his trial that friends of his had done the same in the UK and not been fined as much.
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The fine is hefty enough for Mr. Wong without losing his house – the Tax Authority should allow a couple of years for the excessive penalty to be paid off. As for those who think that Mr. Wong should sell his home for half price – you have no heart. I for one am not prejudice and believe in fair play for everyone – this case stinks!
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First of all, let me tell you all a fact: China is now standing on top of the world but not US or UK (including Guernsey) or Europe… and in fact US, UK and Europe is now in deep s***!
If you have a penny in your pocket and still afford to get a ticket to round the world, go out of the lil island to have a look all the places around the world and try to find if there’s any places without illegal immigrants/workers. All those so called illegal immigrants/workers they just have a very simple reason to leave their home-sweet-home, to put themselves on a risk and work in overseas is just to earn for living with their own effort BUT not like you guys on the island who are lazy to go to work, choosy, depend on state’s unemployment allowance, etc.
Another simple example, if you guys are so holy and follow the rules then you all should STOP BUYING goods that Made in China/Made in India or made in other emerging markets as loads of the businessmen (including those foreign investors from US/UK/Europe) who set up factories/companies in all these countries are not following the rules (including tax evasion, use of illegal immigrants/child labour, etc) to running their business too! I thought you all are educated people and smart enough, but in fact you all are nuts or naïve DONKEYS!
Review your own history, hundred years ago, western people also used to be pirates/bandits who went to far east to rob other people’s wealth/resources (BEAR IN MIND, YOU ALL ROBBED BUT NOT USED PROPER WAY TO PURCHASE THINGS !!!) Well, I understand now, that’s why you all now deserved to be in deep s***! There’s a Chinese saying: 风水轮流转! If don’t understand, google it!
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Great Wall of China
China may be on top of the tre at the moment, but i bet we’ll meet them on the way down.
Yes, there are Illegal immigrants in countries through out the world, and “Illegal” is the key word. And yes they may be doing the jobs we hate, but they certainly aren’t going to be a high flying city slickers when all they are qualified in: is cooking egg fried rice.
With regards to our Pirates of old … They were hung if they were caught smuggling
Lucky Mr Wong won’t have to face that fate.
Remember!! One Wong doesn’t make a right.
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Of course there is a degree of truth in what Great Wall says but he and Zelda are making light of what is really quite a foul crime. We currently have a case where a policeman is being investigated for using the word ‘boy’, supposedly alluding to plantation slaves. Guernsey’s softy liberals seemingly want the copper’s guts for garters.
Contrast this with a genuine case of modern day slavery here on our doorstep. Three workers are illegally brought halfway across the World to work in a chinese takaway for next to nothing, with no health or welfare provisions. Just so a greedy man who already has a lot of money can make even more by treading on desperate people, cheating fellow islanders and breaking laws.
You might expect Guernsey’s wet liberals to be baying for this guy’s blood, particularly since he’s one of the tiny minority who get caught red handed. But instead of that its “oh let the poor man keep his million pound house”. Make your minds up you spineless people. He’s getting off light, he would probably get shot and have all his wealth confiscated in China.
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Great Wall of China
If China is such a fantastic place why are so many people so desperate to leave? I don’t see too many Guernsey people prepared to travel thousands of miles (packed like sardines) in order to escape their unbearable lives.
China’s sovereign wealth is completely disproportionate to the standard of life the vast majority of its citizens has.
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If Mr. Wong survives this episode in his life through error on his part then I am sure he will be successful once again because people like him work all the hours. It is the going to jail and losing his home that I see as an infrigement of justice when the penalty could be made over a longer period of time.
China is a massive country with a massive population and cannot be compared to living on a small island where social benefits and charitable organizations are only too willing to give hand-outs to those with convincing voices so why would anyone with it so ‘cushy’ want to go to China in the first place?
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Great Wall of China
I think its great that Chinese people are enterprising and want to work hard. On the other hand I don’t really see why they cannot emmigrate legally and work, no one is stopping them. They are not entitled to illegal jobs.
Illegal immigrants undermine our system. Sure they put nothing in and get nothing out. At the same time however we cannot have loads of people opting out because our society functions by mass contribution to provide services we all need and want such as healthcare.
I think you need to be reminded as well that the mass majority are hard working individuals and there are a few that take advantage. I would rather have the safety net for those who cannot help themselves and those in bad luck even if it comes with a few bad eggs than live in the country where we turn a blind eye to the ill, elderly, disabled, job seekers you name it.
I find it interesting that you seem concerned about ethical behaviour. Are you aware of China’s lack of ethics on the whole? It is slightly hypocritical to point the finger at western nations for this. We do not approve of the kind of behaviour you speak of and have laws and regulations changed constantly by applying pressure to our governments. Can you do this, can you even appoint your own government officials yet? There is 1.3 billion of you and it suprising not one of you have tackled this problem yet.
You are right though pirates did exist here. How that is relevant I am not sure and it is a strange point to bring up though as China had pirates too: enough of them in numbers to take out your own navy at one point and organised enough to form a confediracy. What you forget now is that we have moved on from this, theft is no longer ok. That is why illegal immigrants are not ok. If anything the theft rate would be much lower than China’s.
Guernsey is not in that much trouble either, we have a great financial rating. Our wealth is much more evenly spread as well.
You should know there is an English saying – If you have to resort to insults and name calling it just shows your lack of argument.
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Great Wall of China
He is a criminal, no if’s and but’s, simply a criminal! Every country has a past, good and bad, it is a fact of life!
And as for slagging off ALL Guernsey people, I believe that in actual fact, you sir are a ***b!
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Mr Wong will not be homeless- he just needs to downsize if his house is worth 1.1m. I owed £100 on my tax this year, no one’s crying for me. If you owe it you owe it – no arguments. You break the law face the consequences. And to counter argue that we had pirates over 200 years ago is just laughable. That is not a valid argument and means i will not take you seriously.
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There are too many people on here that are prejudiced against outsiders coming in and succeeding – a thriving take-a-way and an open-market house – yes I can see that it must get up some people noses – live with it! Same as Mr. Wong will have to live with the shame and punishment dished out.
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he did make a fantastic crispy chili beef
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Great Wall of China
Im wondering if your the guy thats in “deep s***” as you put it?.
The rest of your post is just pathetic.
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By the way, I’ve seen the £1.1M house. No way it’s worth anything like that, he is taking the micky.
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Zelda
“There are too many people on here that are prejudiced against outsiders coming in and succeeding”
Oh dear your really scrapeing the bottom of the barrel now.
How about, we have no sympathy for outsiders comeing here using illegal immigrants for cheap labour not paying their taxes and ripping off the rest of us to boot and then gets caught.
how does that sound?.
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Sugared Brazil Nut: “Last listed purchase price in 2006 is listed as £675,000.”
The place appears in poor condition, I doubt if he will get much, if any, more for it now. Why should it, we’ve been in a recession for most of that time. If a court representative had seen the place he would laugh at a £1.1M valuation. They should order an auction and get on with it, it cannot sell at anything like that price.
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Zelda
Can’t see any prejudice on here apart from that exhibited by the nonsensical Great Wall of China.
No problem with ‘outsiders’ coming here and being successful – hey that usually means money generated around the local economy and even new jobs sometimes.
No, the problem is with Mr Wong stealing tax revenue on the back of people trafficking and slave labour and creaming the financial rewards for his own selfish ends. Time to make him sell up, pay up and ensure that there’s enough left over for his fare back home.
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Now here’s a thought…
Would he have absconded if he was living in a rented house? Anyone running a business the way he did probably would have!
And as for those who will inevitably say ‘how would he have left they would keep his passport?’
My answer is probably the same way his workers arrived !!!
Except he would have sent his money ahead overseas as opposed to investing in a property.
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p.s.
If you read this Mister Wong…you did a great job of ‘glumming’ your look up for the camera.
Maybe you could earn extra money modelling products at funeral homes !
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I do beleive he has done wrong, and he has paid back some on the monies but why should he have to sell his house at a knocked down price like some of you say. He has a family to look after and surport.
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Sarah, If the house had an asking price of £675,000 when he bought it, he’s hardly trying to sell it at a knock down price. It looks as if nothing has been spent on it since, OM prices have not increased much so why should he expect to make a vast profit on it?
The man is a criminal and needs to pay his debt to society. Once paid in full the fine might deter others from doing the same thing. I feel more compassion for his victims – the slave workers who were making Mr wong rich have families too. Does anybody care how they are doing? Let’s not forget the honest employers and taxpayers who deserve better than this cold hearted, money-grabber who has contributed nothing to the community.
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Sarah
Well he should have thought about his family and their well being before he set on his crusade to fill his pockets with as much money as he could at the expense of others.
I woner if he has the same concerns for others families as you have for his?.
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Sarah
You are of the same thinking as I – fair and just!
There is plenty of prejudice on this site and I am not referring to Great Wall of China’s comments.
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If he’d got away with it you wouldn’t have seen his sorrowfull face in the paper, he’d have been laughing fishcakes down the bridge.
But he didn’t,he’s a grown man who knowingly broke the law and got caught. Now he’s facing the consequences, end of story
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I read an article regarding illegal immigrants who had been working in similar establishments chinese – takeaways in the uk and the maximum penalty to the owner by the UK Border Agency per immigrant was £20,000 normally £10,000 per immigrant found illegally working on the premises.
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Zelda
So what?.
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Obviously, that’s why they have so many illegal immigrants in the UK.
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Zelda
Give it a break.
As you have said above fairness and justice is what you believe this man should get.
This man committed an atrocious crime. He had a fair trial. He was sentenced by those infinitely more qualified and experienced than yourself to pass a sentence in Guernsey. The least he can do is pay the fine without whinging and trying it on some more.
If he was only fined £30K he would have profited from his crime, would you really want that? Where would the justice be then? Be sensible. Actually re-read the comments above and try and understand what they are saying to you.
Its sweet you are so naive, empathetic and want the best for others but you have to start to see things for what they are before someone Fleeces you HARD. Some people are worth the time and effort but this guy knows exactly what he was doing and still does. Don’t fall for it.
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Zelda
I believe the largest part of his punishment was not for the illegals but a tax fiddle penalty of £268,556
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I’m baffled with the comments on here akin to “his fine/punishment is a joke” and the waffling following it.
A fine/punishment should be just that – an amount that is a real deterrent to others and has a considerable affect on the wrongdoer.
This was slave labour, no two ways about it and the man happily profited from it. Comparisons with the UK are ridiculous considering immigration problems there and practical impossibilities to actually deport illegals.
Zelda – the punishment would be the same be it a local or an ‘outsider’.
Great Wall of China – two wrongs don’t make a right!
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