SINGAPORE – A man was jailed on Tuesday (April 26) after he admitted to his position in a plan to help Ng Yu Zhi – a businessman allegedly linked to certainly one of Singapore’s largest funding fraud schemes – unlawfully flee the nation.
On Tuesday, Ding Kuon Chwo, 63, pleaded responsible to one depend every of participating in a conspiracy with two accomplices to hinder the course of justice and an unrelated cost underneath the Remote Gambling Act.
He was sentenced to a yr’s jail and a fantastic of $60,000.
Ding can have to spend an extra eight weeks behind bars if he’s unable to pay the fantastic.
He is the third particular person to be handled over the escape plan.
In an earlier assertion, the police stated that officers discovered in regards to the plan throughout a separate investigation into unrelated playing offences.
The authorities then took fast steps to cease the escape bid.
One of Ding’s accomplices, Keeren Marcus Phang Guan Wei, 32, was sentenced to three months’ jail in March this yr over his position within the escape bid.
In January this yr, the opposite confederate Alvin Oey Weizhong, 37, was sentenced to 11 months’ jail and a fantastic of $20,000 after he pleaded responsible to an identical cost and an offence linked to illegal playing actions.
Ng, 35, the previous director of Envy Asset Management and Envy Global Trading, is claimed to be linked to a nickel buying and selling scheme that allegedly cheated traders of at the least $1.2 billion.
He was charged in court docket on March 22 final yr and his case remains to be pending.
In April final yr, Phang heard rumours that the boss of “Envy car shop” wished to abscond from Singapore and {that a} “hefty financial reward” was supplied to those that might facilitate the escape bid.
Phang additionally suspected that the “boss” in query was Ng.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Matthew Choo stated that Phang then instructed Oey to examine if he might help “someone” unlawfully depart Singapore for Malaysia.
He additionally supplied Oey a reward of between $50,000 and $100,000. Oey agreed to be a part of the plan, the court docket heard.
Oey then referred to as Ding who agreed to help him discover a method to illegally transport an individual from Singapore to Malaysia.
DPP Choo added: “The accused (Ding) contacted his pal, whom he calls ‘Ah Lee’, primarily based in Malaysia, on whether or not the latter was in a position to help an unknown topic abscond to Malaysia.
“The accused informed Ah Lee that the reward was $500,000. Ah Lee suggested to transport the subject via boat from Pulau Tekong to Malaysia.”
Ding rejected this suggestion as Pulau Tekong is a restricted space. Ah Lee then instructed him that he would discover different modes of transportation.
When he didn’t hear from Ah Lee, Ding contacted one other Malaysia-based pal, identified solely as “Ah Seng” and requested him the identical query.
The prosecutor stated: “The accused was knowledgeable by Ah Seng that the safety on the land checkpoints in Malaysia may be very tight. Ah Seng recommended ferrying the topic by way of boat to Malaysia via Batam (in Indonesia).
“The accused accepted Ah Seng’s suggestion and informed Oey that he found someone who suggested leaving by boat from Singapore to Batam, and then from Batam to Malaysia.”
Oey later instructed Phang that Ding managed to discover somebody who might transport Ng to Malaysia. Oey additionally requested Phang to examine with Ng on the association.
Phang later instructed Oey that he couldn’t contact Ng. Oey then contacted Ding and instructed him that there was no response from Ng about their proposal.
None of the three males managed to contact Ng to inform him in regards to the plan, the court docket heard.
The police later discovered about it and the offenders had been charged in court docket final yr.
Separately, in 2017, Ding received to know a man recognized as “Ah Pui”, who operated an unlawful distant playing service.
Ah Pui roped in Ding and supplied to pay him $1,000 in money per 30 days.
As Ah Pui’s agent, Ding was tasked to accumulate bets and distribute prizes to individuals corresponding to punters.
Between 2017 and June final yr, Ding earned round $54,000.
Within that point, he met Ng Hong Nam, 59, also referred to as “Tiger” and requested if he wished to be an agent for Ah Pui. Ng accepted the provide.
Ng was arrested in June final yr and $13,400 was seized from him.
