HONG KONG - Mikhy Farrera Brochez, an American wanted in Singapore for leaking online personal information of 14,200 individuals with HIV, could have committed fraud in Hong Kong, according to Hong Kong media.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Brochez ran education-related businesses in Hong Kong, charging as much as HK$8,000 (S$1,380) for each assessment of a child with special needs.
The 34-year-old, who faked his certificates and credentials and lied about being a qualified child psychologist to land teaching jobs in Singapore, was named executive director at a Hong Kong establishment called Guia Education as seen on its website.
On Facebook, Guia says it "provides tailored early intervention for all children with special educational needs by a dedicated team of skilled professionals".
Under "Founding date" in the centre's profile, it lists "Mikhy Farrera-Brochez".
Guia Education lists his credentials as "APA, APS, MCollT, MS DPSY, DipED". APA refers to the American Psychological Association and APS to the American Physiological Society.
An APA spokesman told SCMP that neither Brochez nor any of Guia Education's staff were members on its database.
Singapore investigators earlier revealed Brochez's educational certificates, including a doctorate degree in psychology and education from the University of Paris, were forged.
Citing veteran Hong Kong barrister Albert Luk Wai Hung, SCMP said Brochez could face charges of fraud if he used fake qualifications to sell services to parents.
"That is because you were telling your clients you had such qualifications while you actually did not," Mr Luk was quoted as saying.
Brochez, who was deported from Singapore in April last year after serving a jail term for several fraud and drug-related offences, was arrested for criminal trespass at the home of his mother Teresa King on Dec 8 in Clark County, Kentucky, in the United States. He is next due in court on March 4 after his first appearance on Feb 18.
The HIV database of Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) was leaked on Jan 22 by Brochez who found the data after his partner Ler Teck Siang, head of the ministry's National Public Health Unit from March 2012 to May 2013 who had access to the HIV Registry for his work, allegedly downloaded the confidential information onto a thumb drive.
Brochez, who is HIV-positive, had been angry with Ler for disclosing his condition to a man called Zach, who Brochez had accused of getting between Brochez's relationship with Ler, according to court papers and statements to police.
Brochez and Ler were married in New York City in April 2014. They first met on a gay dating website, then arranged to meet face-to-face in Hong Kong.
Ler, 37, has been charged under the Official Secrets Act for failing to take reasonable care of confidential information regarding HIV-positive patients.
