Lam Shiu-kum, the former dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong, has been sentenced to 25 months in jail after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office.

The misconduct involved inducing 12 patients who were treated at Queen Mary Hospital, the university’s teaching facility, to pay what appeared to be medical bills issued by the university and the hospital but were payable to Gastrointestinal Research, a company wholly owned by Professor Lam.

In addition to these payments—which totalled $HK130 000 (£10 000; €12 000; $17 000)—three patients made total donations of $HK3.8m to the same company. None of the patients were told that …