SINGAPORE – A director at two firms, who is believed to be a member of an organised criminal group linked to illegal gambling activities, has been accused of concealing purported ill-gotten gains totalling nearly $2.8million.
Aw-Yeong Kien Hsin, 48, was among eight suspected members of the criminal group – six men and two women – who were charged in court on Wednesday with offences including those under the Organised Crime Act.
The Act, which was passed in August 2015, gives enforcement agencies more powers to disrupt the activities of organised crime groups and seeks to stop them from getting a foothold in Singapore.
On several occasions between Nov 2, 2015, and Sept 7, 2020, Aw-Yeong allegedly concealed the money in a bank account belonging to another person.
Separately, the director and shareholder at two companies – Qi Kopi and Tengah Beverages – is also accused of using more than $6,300 of the purported ill-gotten gains to make a partial payment for a Piaggio Vespa Primavera 150 ABS scooter in February 2020.
Court documents did not disclose the total amount of ill-gotten gains. They also did not state if he had held a leadership position in the criminal group.
The other five men are: Liu Wei, 37; Ronnie Ang Chwee Guan, 44; Chua Kim Seng, 58; Chua Swee Huat, 62; and Teo Thiam Tat, 66.
The two women are Liong Saau Fua, 48, and Peh Siew Hoy, 60.
Aw-Yeong, who has 11 charges, the most among the eight people, is accused of multiple offences including those under the Remote Gambling Act.
Among other things, he allegedly managed remote gambling by others between late 2015 and September 2020 by acts such as receiving more than $414,000 in bets.
He was also said to be a member of a local organised criminal group from June 1, 2016, to Sept 7, 2020.
Aw-Yeong is accused of inviting Ang into the group in 2018. The following year, Aw-Yeong allegedly also invited Liong and Teo.
Chua Swee Huat, the owner of a firm called C3 Daily Fresh Fruits Trader, faces 10 charges. He is alleged to be a member of the same group from November 2016 to September 2020.
He is accused of six counts of dealing with the purported benefits of criminal conduct in 2019. Each charge involves between $10,000 and $100,000.
For instance, he allegedly converted $100,000 to a loan made to a company called P2P Travel Exchange.