{"id":29216,"date":"2024-06-14T13:20:07","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T13:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prelive-tdw.visibleone.app\/insight-and-news\/tanner-de-witt-successfully-defends-former-director-against-fraud-and-conspiracy-charges-in-a-white-collar-crime-trial\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T08:56:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T08:56:36","slug":"tanner-de-witt-successfully-defends-former-director-against-fraud-and-conspiracy-charges-in-a-white-collar-crime-trial","status":"publish","type":"insight-and-news","link":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/insight-and-news\/tanner-de-witt-successfully-defends-former-director-against-fraud-and-conspiracy-charges-in-a-white-collar-crime-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"Tanner De Witt Successfully Defends Former Director Against Fraud and Conspiracy Charges in a White-Collar Crime Trial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n    \n\n<div style=\"background-image:url('https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/wp-content\/themes\/tanner-de-witt\/images\/insightdetails.jpeg')\"\n    class=\"insight-news-detail-hero\" id=\"insight-news-detail-hero\">\n\n\t\t<div style=\"background-color:\" class=\"insight-news-detail-hero-overlay \"><\/div>\n            <div class=\"z-[0]\">\n                <div class=\"insight-news-breadcrumbs flex items-end practice-areas-featured-breadcrumbs \">\n                    <a class=\"page-link no-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/\">Home<\/a>                <\/div>\n\n\n                <div class=\"hero-title\">\n                    <h1>\n                        Tanner De Witt Successfully Defends Former Director Against Fraud and Conspiracy Charges in a White-Collar Crime Trial                    <\/h1>\n                <\/div>\n                \n                    <div style=\"\" class=\"hero-date \">\n\n                        <span class=\"month\">Jun<\/span>\n                        <span class=\"day\">14<\/span>\n                        <span class=\"year\">2024<\/span>\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n    \n\n    \n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<script >\n    (function () {\n        document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", () => {\n\n            const breadCrumbsContainer = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\".practice-areas-featured-breadcrumbs\"));\n\n            breadCrumbsContainer.forEach(container => {\n                const breadCrumbLinks = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll('.page-link'));\n                const breadCrumbSeperators = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll('.separator'));\n\n                if (Array.from(breadCrumbLinks).length === 1) {\n                    const homeNode = breadCrumbLinks[0];\n\n                    if (!homeNode) {\n                        return\n                    }\n\n                    const postTypeNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n                    postTypeNode.textContent = \"Insights and News\";\n                    container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                    container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', postTypeNode)\n                    breadCrumbLinks.push(postTypeNode);\n\n                    if (\"Insights\") {\n                        const categoryNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n\n                        categoryNode.textContent = \"Insights\";\n                        container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                        container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', categoryNode)\n                        breadCrumbLinks.push(categoryNode);\n                    }\n\n\n                    const titleNode = homeNode.cloneNode(true);\n\n                    titleNode.textContent = \"Tanner De Witt Successfully Defends Former Director Against Fraud and Conspiracy Charges in a White-Collar Crime Trial\";\n                    container.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<span class=\"separator practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash\">\/<\/span>`)\n                    container.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', titleNode)\n                    breadCrumbLinks.push(titleNode);\n\n\n\n\n                }\n\n                breadCrumbLinks.forEach((link, index) => {\n\n                    link.classList.add('practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-name');\n                    const origin = window.location.origin;\n                    const href = window.location.href;\n\n                    const originSplitter = window.location.href.includes(\"insight-and-news\") ? \"insight-and-news\" : window.location.href.includes('insights-and-news') ? \"insights-and-news\" : \"\"\n\n                    const paths = href.split(originSplitter);\n                    const links = paths[1].split(\"\/\").filter(Boolean)\n\n\n                    const resolvedOrigin = originSplitter ? (href.split(originSplitter)[0] || \"\") : (origin + \"\/\")\n\n                    if (index === 0) {\n\n                        if (!originSplitter) {\n                            link.href = origin\n                        } else {\n                            link.href = resolvedOrigin;\n                        }\n\n\n                    } else if (index === 1) {\n                        link.href = resolvedOrigin + originSplitter\n\n                    }\n                    else if (index === 2) {\n                        console.log(links)\n                        link.href = resolvedOrigin + originSplitter + \"\/\" + (links[0] || \"\")\n                    }\n                    else if (index === 3) {\n\n                        link.href = resolvedOrigin + originSplitter + \"\/\" + (links[0] || \"\") + \"\/\" + (links[1] || \"\")\n\n                    }\n\n\n\n                    \/\/ const words = link.textContent.split(\" \")\n                    \/\/ if (words.length > 4) {\n                    \/\/     link.textContent = words.slice(0, 4).join(\" \") + \"...\"\n                    \/\/ }\n\n                })\n\n                breadCrumbSeperators.forEach(separator => {\n                    separator.textContent = \"\/\"\n                    separator.classList.add('practice-areas-featured-breadcrumb-item-slash')\n                });\n\n\n            })\n\n\n        })\n        removeDivTag()\n    })();\n\n    function removeDivTag() {\n        console.log(\"remasfljas\");\n        const editorContainer = document.querySelector(\".editor-wysiwyg\");\n        \/\/ editorContainer.innerText = editorContainer.innerText.replace(\"<\/div>\", \"\")\n        Array.from(editorContainer.childNodes).forEach(el => {\n            if (el.textContent.includes(\"<\/div>\")) {\n                el.textContent = \"\"\n            }\n        })\n    }\n<\/script>\n\n<div class=\"editor-wysiwyg my-[40px]\">\n<div class=\"single-section\">\n<div class=\"single-section\">\n<p>In a significant white-collar criminal trial of Hong Kong,\u00a0<strong>Tanner De Witt<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/legalref.judiciary.hk\/lrs\/common\/ju\/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=160450&amp;currpage=T\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">secured the acquittal of\u00a0Mr. Leslie Harry Swann<\/a>. The case revolved around the activities of a concrete compression test lab operated by a multinational company, where Mr. Swann served as a project director. This lab was responsible for testing materials used in public works projects, including the\u00a0<strong>Hong Kong\u2013Zhuhai\u2013Macau Bridge<\/strong>, the world\u2019s longest sea crossing and open-sea fixed link.<\/p>\n<p>The crux of the matter lay in the lab technicians\u2019 actions: a substantial number of them manipulated test results by falsifying the timing of tests and substituting concrete cubes with other materials. These technicians faced conviction in a separate trial.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Swann and his co-defendant, another senior member of the company, faced charges related to conspiracy to defraud the\u00a0<strong>Civil Engineering and Development Department (\u201cCEDD\u201d)<\/strong>\u00a0and statutory fraud under the\u00a0<strong>Theft Ordinance (Cap. 159)<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0Their alleged offence was failing to disclose the falsification of concrete compression test results carried out by the lab technicians.<\/p>\n<p>While the first defendant was found guilty of fraud, Mr. Swann\u2014the second defendant\u2014was acquitted after a\u00a0<strong>20-day trial<\/strong>. The judge accepted our team\u2019s argument that this case transcended mere concrete testing; it centered on\u00a0<strong>honesty, integrity, and adherence to contractual obligations<\/strong>. The judge recognised that Mr. Swann and the project team were not involved in the company\u2019s internal investigation to avoid conflicts of interest. Importantly, evidence revealed that the lab technicians\u2019 fraudulent actions were discovered during an independent investigation but were not communicated to the project team. Mr. Swann, having no knowledge of the fraud, had honestly signed the reports submitted to the CEDD. Tanner De Witt\u2019s <a class=\"broken_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/our-people\/mark-side\/\">Mark Side<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/our-people\/kritika-sethia\/\">Kritika Sethia<\/a>\u00a0headed by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/our-people\/pamela-mak\/\">Pamela Mak<\/a>\u00a0acted for Mr Swann. The Counsel team included\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/john-reading-sc-b82b332b\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">John Reading SC<\/a>\u00a0of Pacific Chambers,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/benson-tsoi-705139301\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Benson Tsoi<\/a>\u00a0SC of Parkside Chambers and \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/henry-chung-990758311\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Henry Chung<\/a>\u00a0of Pacific Chambers.<\/p>\n<p>Read the Reasons for Verdict\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/legalref.judiciary.hk\/lrs\/common\/ju\/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=160450&amp;currpage=T\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong><em>Pamela Mak and Kritika Sethia<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>If you would like to discuss any of the matters raised in this article, please contact:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/our-people\/pamela-mak\/\">Pamela Mak<\/a><br \/>Partner |\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:pamelamak@tannerdewitt.com\">E-mail<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>The above is not intended to be relied on as legal advice and specific legal advice should be sought at all times in relation to the above.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"category-list\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/news-media\/latest-news\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Latest News<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/news-media\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News &amp; Media<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/legal-updates\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Legal Updates<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/dispute-resolution\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Dispute Resolution<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/pamela-mak-2\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Pamela Mak<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a significant white-collar criminal trial of Hong Kong,\u00a0Tanner De Witt\u00a0secured the acquittal of\u00a0Mr. Leslie Harry Swann. The case revolved around the activities of a concrete compression test lab operated by a multinational company, where Mr. Swann served as a project director. This lab was responsible for testing materials used in public works projects, including [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"insight-category":[1121],"insight-month":[1153],"insight-practice-area":[1132],"insight-year":[1159],"class_list":["post-29216","insight-and-news","type-insight-and-news","status-publish","hentry","insight-category-legal-updates-and-insights","insight-month-june","insight-practice-area-dispute-resolution","insight-year-1159"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news\/29216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/insight-and-news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news\/29216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31087,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-and-news\/29216\/revisions\/31087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29216"},{"taxonomy":"insight-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-category?post=29216"},{"taxonomy":"insight-month","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-month?post=29216"},{"taxonomy":"insight-practice-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-practice-area?post=29216"},{"taxonomy":"insight-year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tannerdewitt.com\/zh-hant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight-year?post=29216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}