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All ten Fujian-born suspects in S$1 billion money laundering case remanded for another eight days

The Singapore Court convened on Wednesday to address the case of ten Fujian-born individuals apprehended in a prominent S$1 billion money laundering case.

Media reports reveal all accused were remanded eight days for ongoing investigations, with proceedings resuming on 30 August.

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SINGAPORE: On Wednesday (23 Aug), the Singapore Court convened to address the case of ten apprehended Fujian-born foreigners who are accused in a high-profile S$1 billion money laundering case.

As per media reports, all the accused individuals were subjected to an additional eight days of remand to facilitate ongoing investigations. The court will reconvene on the following Wednesday (30 Aug) for further proceedings.

The prosecution provided reasoning for their request to extend the remand, suggesting that releasing the accused might lead to potential “collusion” and the risk of “contamination” of evidence.

During the court session on Wednesday, the prosecution informed the court about indications that the individuals under investigation in the case are operating within a network.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jean Ting presented this argument while opposing bail for one of the accused, Su Baolin, aged 41.

She emphasized that there could be a necessity to interview witnesses who are not among the initial ten individuals charged in the case.

“Fujian Gang” allegedly linked to S$1 billion money laundering case

Last Tuesday (15 Aug), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) apprehended ten individuals and confiscated assets, including properties and luxury cars, with an estimated value of approximately S$1 billion (equivalent to US$737 million).

They are brought to court last Wednesday (16 Aug) and slated with a range of charges, including forgery, money laundering, and resisting arrest. Their identity being reported are:

  1. Su Haijin (苏海金), 40, a Cypriot national
  2. Su Baolin (苏宝林), a 41-year-old Cambodian national
  3. Su Jianfeng (苏剑锋), a 35-year-old national of Vanuatu
  4. Zhang Ruijin (张瑞进), aged 44, a Chinese national
  5. Lin Baoying (林宝英), 43 years old, a Chinese national
  6. Chen Qingyuan (陈清远), a 33-year-old Cambodian national
  7. Vang Shuiming (万/王水明), a 42-year-old Turkish national
  8. Su Wenqiang (苏文强), a 31-year-old Cambodian national
  9.  Wang Baosen (王宝森), a 31-year-old Chinese national
  10. Wang Dehai (王德海), a 34-year-old male Cypriot national

While possessing different nationalities, all of them hail from Fujian, China.

Bail requested by Su Baolin’s lawyer for his client

Su Baolin, a Cambodian national, faced charges for utilizing a forged document. He was apprehended at a luxurious residence on Nassim Road, known as a good class bungalow (GCB), where he was allegedly found with a foreign passport suspected to be issued by China.

During the arrest, authorities seized various items including a sum exceeding S$777,000 in cash, 33 luxury bags and watches, and 75 pieces of jewellery.

Additionally, the police took action to freeze three linked bank accounts that held a combined balance exceeding S$2.4 million.

On Wednesday, DPP Ng said Su Baolin disclosed that Su Baolin had a congenital heart condition and had been admitted to Changi Medical Centre (CMC) from 18 to 20 August.

In light of his health condition, Su’s lawyer requested bail on his behalf.

However, DPP Ng raised objections, asserting that there was no indication his medical condition couldn’t be managed while he remained in remand. She further noted that additional time was necessary for ongoing investigations.

DPP Ng elaborated that the total value of assets seized from Su Baolin and his spouse exceeded $130 million. Furthermore, she highlighted that pending documents were awaited from nine financial institutions and that a forensic extraction and review of 10 devices were currently underway.

After considering the arguments, District Judge Terence Tay concurred with the prosecution’s stance and denied Su’s application for bail.

Su Haijin appeared on screen in court from hospital

Su Haijin, brother of Su Baolin, made a virtual court appearance from the hospital, his limbs encased in casts.

He reportedly leapt from a second-floor balcony and was later discovered concealed in a drain by the police last Tuesday.

The former director of No Signboard Holdings, a restaurant operator, is also charged with resisting arrest. He purportedly refused to open his room door at 16 Ewart Park in the early hours of 15 August.

Suffering fractures to his hands and legs from the fall, he remained conscious as he was transported to the hospital.

During a recent court session, the prosecutor revealed the seizure of 18 properties and cars worth over S$160 million under the names of Su and his wife. The origin of these funds requires further investigation.

Documentation is pending from six financial institutions, and forensic extraction and review are underway for 14 seized devices.

Upon the request of Su Haijin’s lawyer, Judge Tay approved a 15-minute hospital visit to discuss the necessity of surgery.

Su’s lawyer conveyed that his client had suffered fractures in his heels, femur, and wrists.

During the court appearance, Su Haijin inquired about arranging for a surgeon to perform an operation on him. In response, Judge Tay indicated that this decision would be made in collaboration with his legal representation and the hospital.

Furthermore, the judge permitted Su Haijin to virtually connect with his family during the court proceedings via his lawyer’s laptop camera, however, direct communication was not allowed.

Despite his condition with his hand in a cast, Su Haijin managed to wave to his family.

Chen Qingyuan’s request for a phone call with his wife was denied

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Edwin Soh, another suspect, Chen Qingyuan, had three luxury cars seized. Additionally, one property received a prohibition of disposal order, effectively preventing its sale.

DPP Soh explained that efforts were underway to trace the origin of funds for these assets, collectively valued at approximately $10 million. The police were also awaiting the submission of bank documents.

Chen’s request for a phone call with his wife was denied.

DPP Soh raised the possibility of such communication involving discussions about asset dissipation, with potential involvement of external parties through Chen’s wife.

Su Wenqiang offers cooperation with authorities in exchange for expediated court hearing

Su Wenqiang (Source: Lianhe Zaobao)

According to DPP Edwin Soh, defendant Su Wenqiang’s two luxury cars, valued at S$600,000, were seized under his wife’s name.

DPP Soh explained that the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) needed to establish the origin of funds for these vehicles. As part of this process, they were awaiting statements from two financial institutions associated with his wife.

Furthermore, five mobile phones and two laptops had been confiscated and were currently undergoing examination.

In his pursuit for an earlier court hearing, Su Wenqiang expressed willingness to cooperate with the authorities.

However, Judge Tay declined the request, citing that the prosecution was still in the process of gathering evidence.

Assets affiliated to Lin Baoying totalling S$72 million

Lin Baoying, the sole female among the ten individuals facing charges, had her name attached to two seized cars and five properties that received a prohibition of disposal order.

DPP Soh highlighted the considerable value of the assets taken from her, totalling a staggering S$72 million.

The investigation aimed to discern the origins of funds tied to these assets, necessitating the collection of bank documents from five financial institutions related to her spouse’s accounts.

Lin and her lover, Zhang Ruijin, both Chinese nationals, have each been charged with one count of forgery. They were apprehended at a bungalow located in Pearl Island at Sentosa Cove.

Zhang possessed a foreign passport, seemingly issued by Saint Kitts and Nevis, a Caribbean island nation. Meanwhile, Lin was allegedly found with foreign passports believed to be issued by Dominica and Turkey.

Police reports indicated the confiscation of cash exceeding S$7.6 million, accompanied by prohibition of disposal orders for nine properties and five vehicles with an estimated combined value surpassing S$106 million.

During the charging process, Zhang referred to Lin and told the court: “You can separate her crimes from me, we are just lovers… You can bail me out, but remand her.”

Seized properties exceeding S$49 million in Wang Dehai’s case

In the case involving Wang Dehai, properties with a combined value surpassing S$49 million have been seized.

DPP Ng informed the court about the ongoing review of 11 confiscated devices.

Wang faced a single charge of money laundering and was apprehended at his condominium located on Paterson Hill, close to Orchard Road.

During the proceedings on Wednesday, Wang adamantly refuted the charges brought against him.

He declared before the court, “I’m being illegally detained. I have been in Singapore for five years and I have not done anything unlawful.”

District Judge Tay indicated that Wang could present his defense at a later stage.

Court rejects bail requests, emphasizes continued remand for investigation purposes

The remaining accused individuals, namely Zhang Ruijin, Su Jianfen, Vang Shuiming, and Wang Baosen, have also been subjected to an additional eight-day remand to facilitate ongoing investigations.

The cases of these individuals have been extended until 30 August for the next court hearing.

While one of the defense attorneys sought bail for their client and a 15-minute consultation, another lawyer requested permission for their client’s wife to visit.

Nevertheless, the court dismissed these appeals and sided with the prosecution’s assertion that the complexity and depth of the case necessitated continued remand for the purpose of thorough investigations.

 

 

 

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Crime

Leaders of Japanese syndicate accused of laundering S$628.7M lived in Singapore

Japanese crime syndicate leader Sotaro Ishikawa, linked to a ¥70 billion (S$628.7 million) money-laundering operation, was discovered to have ties to Singapore, including directorships in local firms. Several syndicate members were arrested in Japan and the Philippines, with investigations ongoing across multiple countries.

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SINGAPORE: The head of a Japanese criminal syndicate accused of laundering ¥70 billion (S$628.7 million) for organized crime had ties to Singapore, including property ownership and directorships in local firms, The Straits Times reports.

Sotaro Ishikawa (石川宗太郎), 35, fled Japan in February amid police investigations but maintained a condominium in Bukit Timah and was appointed director of the Singaporean software firm, Rivaton, in March.

Ishikawa’s syndicate, Rivaton Group, is believed to have over 40 members and systematically set up shell companies in Japan to launder money linked to scams and illegal gambling.

The Osaka Prefectural Police revealed the group utilized corporate accounts of at least 500 companies and 4,000 bank accounts to process illicit funds.

Both Ishikawa and his second-in-command, Kosuke Yamada (山田耕介), 39, were arrested on 9 July after returning to Japan from Dubai.

Syndicate Leadership Tied to Singapore

Several senior members of the syndicate were also linked to Singapore-based companies.

Yamada, who resided in the same Bukit Timah condominium as Ishikawa, was appointed director of KO Enterprise Next in September 2023.

Takamasa Ikeda (池田隆雅), 38, the group’s third-ranking officer, lived in Novena and was director of local advertising firm Glosal, having been arrested on 2 September after flying from Singapore to Japan.

Japanese authorities issued a wanted notice in August for five senior syndicate members, including Ishikawa, Yamada, and Ikeda.

The other two leaders, Hiroyuki Kawasaki (川崎博之) and Shinya Ito (伊藤真也), were arrested in the Philippines, with plans for their extradition to Japan.

Shell Companies and a Singapore Connection

The syndicate allegedly operated with layers of management, functioning like a legitimate business.

According to the Sankei Shimbun, the group maintained standard office hours, managed by three tiers of staff, and operated with detailed procedures to avoid suspicion.

This included automated systems that transferred funds between accounts based on balance levels or timing.

In Singapore, all of the companies linked to the syndicate were established by a Japanese lawyer and Singapore permanent resident.

He claimed to have conducted thorough due diligence checks on the suspects, including meeting them personally in Japan and verifying their documents.

The lawyer expressed shock upon recognizing one of the men arrested in Japan and subsequently filed a suspicious transaction report with Singaporean authorities.

While cooperating fully with Japanese officials, he stated that he had not been contacted by Singapore authorities regarding the case.

Authorities Continue Investigations

The Rivaton Group allegedly provided money-laundering services to various criminal organizations under the guise of being a payment solutions provider.

A Japanese police official noted the syndicate’s organizational structure, with clear divisions of responsibility in areas such as fund transfers and interaction with financial institutions.

The lawyer responsible for setting up the shell companies emphasized that he had taken extra precautions after Singapore’s S$3 billion money laundering case earlier this year but had found nothing suspicious in his dealings with the syndicate members.

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Crime

Singaporean fugitive faces capital charge for drug trafficking after deportation from Thailand

Benny Kee Soon Chuan, 31, was charged with capital offences in Singapore court on Friday after being deported from Thailand for alleged drug trafficking. He’s accused of conspiring to traffic 2kg of methamphetamine in December 2020, directing accomplice to collect the parcel. Kee, evading capture since 2016, was arrested in Thailand, where assets worth US$453,000 were seized.

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SINGAPORE: Benny Kee Soon Chuan, a 31-year-old Singaporean man, was handed a capital charge on Friday (20 September) after being deported from Thailand.

Kee is wanted for his alleged involvement in two drug trafficking cases.

Kee is accused of conspiring with Low En Quan Justin to traffic methamphetamine in early December 2020.

The conspiracy reportedly involved a parcel containing 12 packets of meth, weighing at least 2kg, intended for delivery to an individual named “Senthil Kumar” at a shop in Orchard Towers.

Authorities allege that Kee directed Low to collect the parcel, which Low picked up on 2 December 2020.

Low, now 21, has already faced legal consequences for his role in the case. He pleaded guilty to attempting to traffic at least 249.99g of meth and was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison, along with 15 strokes of the cane.

In addition to the December case, Kee is also linked to another drug trafficking incident from November 2022, according to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).

A 29-year-old man involved in that case received an eight-year sentence with seven strokes of the cane.

Despite the charges, Kee evaded capture for several years, having left Singapore in April 2016.

The CNB coordinated with international authorities to locate him.

On 17 September, he was arrested in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, where he was reportedly living in luxury.

Thai authorities acted on a tip-off from the CNB, leading to Kee’s apprehension and subsequent deportation to Singapore.

Upon his return on 19 September, Kee was taken into custody by the CNB.

Reports indicate that during the arrest, assets worth 15 million baht (S$585,000) were seized, including luxury items like Rolex watches, gold jewelry, and cash in various currencies.

Kee was remanded by a Singapore court on Friday, with permission granted for further investigations.

He is scheduled to appear in court again on 26 September.

If convicted of conspiring to traffic a Class A controlled drug, Kee could face the death penalty.

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