Twelve Charged For Various Offences in Alleged Scheme involving S$9.7 Million

On 14 September 2021, twelve individuals were charged in Court for various offences. The scheme was allegedly hatched by the following five individuals to cheat Civil Tech Pte Ltd (“CTPL”) of about S$9.7 million. Four of these individuals were CTPL employees at the material time.

a) Gan Kok Leong (“Gan”) (颜国量, 43-year-old male Malaysian), a Project Director of Civil Tech Pte Ltd (“CTPL”) at the material time;

b) Ong Kok Peng (“Ong”)(温国平, 41-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Project Director of Civil Tech Pte Ltd (“CTPL”) at the material time;

c) Tan Chen Chuan (“Tan”) (陈振泉, 39-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Group Finance Manager of Civil Tech Pte Ltd (“CTPL”) at the material time;

d) Liauw Lee Meng (“Liauw”) (廖利明, 55-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Project Manager of Civil Tech Pte Ltd (“CTPL”) at the material time; and and

e) Bong Saik King (“Bong”) (黄锡庆, 43-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Global Civil Engineering Pte Ltd (“GCE”) at the material time.

2. Between March and August 2016, the five individuals (Gan, Ong, Tan, Liauw and Bong) allegedly, through the use of subcontractors, submitted claims to CTPL despite the fact that work relating to the claims had not been carried out. For their alleged actions, each of the five individuals (Gan, Ong, Tan, Liauw and Bong) face the following charges:

i. 3 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat CTPL of about S$9.7 million, punishable under Section 420 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224;

ii. 17 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to create false invoices so as to deceive CTPL into making payments for the said false invoices, punishable under Section 468 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224;

iii. 30 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried out (as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224;

iv. 8 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to create false credit notes so as to support claims that repayments were due to CTPL in relation to works (as specified in the said false credit notes) when such repayments were not due, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224; and

v. 27 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to disguise benefits from criminal conduct as payments to subcontractors, punishable under Section 47(6)(a) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, Cap 65A, r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224.

3. The following seven individuals, who were subcontractors of CTPL at the material time will also be charged in Court for their alleged roles in the scheme:

f) Huang Zhiguo (“Huang”) (黄治国, 47-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Hua Rong Engineering Pte Ltd (“HRE”) at the material time

i. One count of abetment by intentionally aiding Ong to cheat CTPL of about S$1.4 million, punishable under Section 420 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224;

ii. 5 counts of abetment by intentionally aiding Ong to create false invoices so as to deceive CTPL into making payments for the said false invoices, punishable under Section 468 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224;

iii. 7 counts of abetment by intentionally aiding Ong to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried out (as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224; and

iv. 7 counts of abetment by intentionally aiding Ong to disguise benefits from criminal conduct as payments to subcontractors, punishable under Section 47(6)(a) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, Cap 65A, r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224.

g) Ang Lye Soon (“Ang”) (洪来顺, 57-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Dowell Engineering Services Pte Ltd (“Dowell Engineering”) at the material time

i. 7 counts of abetment by intentionally aiding Huang to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried out (as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224.

h) Zhuang He (“Zhuang”) (庄和, 48-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Hong Hai Construction Pte Ltd (“Hong Hai”) at the material time

i. 5 counts of abetment by intentionally aiding Bong to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried (out as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224.

i) Yu Yingjie (“Yu”) (于英杰, 59-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Da Ho Foundation (S) Pte Ltd (“Da Ho”) at the material time

i. 4 counts of abetment by intentionally aiding Ong to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried out (as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224.

j) Wong Mun Kin (“Wong”) (王民健, 53-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Alliance Resources Pte Ltd (“Alliance”) at the material time

i. 7 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried out (as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224.

k) Seow Yam Seng (“Seow”) (萧炎升, 45-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Rui Feng Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd (“RFEC”) at the material time

i. 7 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried out (as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224.

l) Tan Heng Lee (“Heng Lee”) (陈行利, 34-year-old male Singapore Citizen), a Director of Housing Replacement Pte Ltd (“HRPL”) at the material time

i. 10 counts of abetment by intentional aiding Tan and Bong to create false invoices so as to support claims that work had been carried out (as specified in the said false invoices) when such work had not been carried out, punishable under Section 465 r/w Section 109 of the Penal Code, Cap 224

4. Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and other criminal activities. Any person who is convicted of an offence to cheat and dishonestly induce a delivery of property can be fined and sentenced to imprisonment of up to ten years. Any person who is convicted of an offence of forgery can be fined or sentenced to imprisonment of up to four years or both. Any person who is convicted of an offence of forgery for the purpose of cheating can be fined and sentenced to imprisonment of up to ten years. Any person who is convicted of an offence to disguise benefits of criminal conduct can be fined up to S$500,000 or sentenced to an imprisonment of up to ten years or to both.

5. CPIB looks into all corruption complaints and reports, including anonymous ones, and can be reached via the following channels:

a) Lodge an e-Complaint;
b) Email us at report@cpib.gov.sg;
c) Call the Duty Officer at 1800-376-0000; or
d) Write to us at the CPIB Headquarters @ 2 Lengkok Bahru, S159047.

6. Where possible, the report should include the following information:

a) Where, when and how the alleged corrupt act happened?
b) Who was involved and what were their roles?
c) What was the bribe given and the favour shown?

CORRUPT PRACTICES INVESTIGATION BUREAU