The former managing director of fast food chain McDonald's in Hong Kong faced jail Thursday after being convicted of taking 330,000 US dollars in bribes from a food supplier.Joseph Lau Si-sing, 48, was found guilty at a court hearing Wednesday of taking bribes and conspiring to pervert the course of justice by asking the supplier to lie to investigators.
Lau, who joined the fast food chain in Hong Kong in 2004, added more fruit and vegetables to the menu and ordered corn from a Thai supplier who he used to work with in a previous job. In 2005, he asked the supplier to give him 10 per cent of the value of the orders McDonald's placed and received 330,000 US dollars in payments over the next two years.
When anti-corruption investigators began a probe, Lau told the supplier to tell investigators he had given him the money for a joint property investment in China. Lau, who has been sacked by McDonald's will be sentenced by Hong Kong's District Court on May 6 and faces a possible jail term. Sentencing was adjourned for a background report to be prepared.