Stephen Wong Wang-sang, former chairman of Hong Kong-listed Skyworth Digital Holdings, one of China's largest television makers, was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday for conspiring to steal millions of dollars in company funds.

Wong's junior brother, Wong Pui-sing, former executive of Skyworth, also got six years of jail term from the District Court for their roles in misappropriating company funds totaling over 50 million HK dollars (6.45 million U.S. dollars and conspiring to defraud in relation to the granting of share options.

Stephen Wong, 49, also called "Huang Hongsheng" on the Chinese mainland, and his brother were earlier found guilty on July 7 for three joint offenses -- two of conspiracy to steal and one of conspiracy to defraud.

Stephen Wong was found guilty of an additional charge of conspiring with his mother, Lo Yuk-ying (Luo Yuying), to steal another 500,000 HK dollars (64,365 U.S. dollars) from his company in 2001.

In sentencing, Judge Stephen Geiser said the offenses committed by the defendants were serious and involved substantial amounts of money. He also reprimanded the defendants for the breach of trust as revealed in the case.

The crimes by the Wongs were disclosed by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in 2004 when the anti-corruption agency launched investigation arose from a corruption complaint.

The court heard that between Nov. 1, 2000 and Oct. 31, 2004, Stephen Wong and his junior brother conspired with their mother Lo Yuk-ying to steal over 2.2 million HK dollars belonging to Skyworth Computer and Network Company Limited, and over 48 million HK dollars belonging to Skyworth Digital Technology (Holding) Company Limited (Skyworth Digital Technology).

In addition, Stephen Wong had conspired with Lo to steal different amounts of money belonging to Skyworth (Group) Company Limited between Jan. 2 and June 27, 2001.

Source: Xinhua