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.

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.