Money laundering case: Man who jumped from bungalow has $160m of his and wife's assets frozen

Christine Tan and Nadine Chua
The Straits Times
Sept 6, 2023

Su Haijin, one of the 10 accused in the billion-dollar money laundering case, has been slapped with a new charge of money laundering on Wednesday. The 40-year-old Cypriot national, who previously faced one count of resisting arrest, allegedly has over $4 million in a UOB bank account, which is said to be his benefits from unlawful remote gambling offences.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Ng Jean Ting revealed the authorities have seized a total of $160 million in assets from him and his wife.

The prosecutor applied for Su Haijin to be remanded for one more week, as investigations against him have been proceeding at a slightly slower pace compared with the other accused.

There had been six to seven days when Su Haijin could not record statements as he was unwell. He also underwent surgery on Aug 28, said DPP Ng. He had fractured his hands and legs after jumping from the second-floor balcony of his home at Ewart Park in Bukit Timah, allegedly while trying to escape from the police.

Su Haijin appeared in court on Wednesday via video link from Changi General Hospital.

DPP Ng said: “The police still have significant ground to cover with Su. Thirty production orders have been sent to six financial institutions. Documents are pending in respect of 20 bank accounts. Eleven out of 38 seized devices still require forensic examination and review.”

Su Haijin’s lawyer, Mr Julian Tay, objected to the prosecution’s application, noting that the police had already recorded more than 10 statements from his client.

District Judge Brenda Tan granted the prosecution’s application for Su Haijin to be remanded further to make up for lost time in investigations. His case will be heard again on Sept 13.

All 10 accused persons appeared in court on Wednesday in a hearing that stretched over three hours.

Details of Su Haijin’s relationship with another accused, Su Baolin, were revealed in court for the first time. DPP Ng said Su Baolin, a 41-year-old Cambodian national, had made payments in 2021 amounting to $2.2 million in Su Haijin’s name towards two properties in Beach Road.

In 2022, Su Baolin, Su Haijin and two other people paid for a yacht, which was registered in the name of a fifth person. The three unnamed people left Singapore before or soon after investigations began.

On Aug 30, Su Baolin’s lawyer, Mr Sunil Sudheesan, had said some of the co-accused were barely acquaintances.

But DPP Ng had replied: “Investigations so far have strengthened the links between them. They are certainly not mere acquaintances.”

On Wednesday, DPP Ng applied for no bail for Su Baolin, saying he had refused to divulge the true extent of his relationship with Su Haijin, and giving him bail would heighten the risk of collusion.

Su Baolin faces two charges in total. His second charge, which was recently amended, states he had allegedly conspired with one Wang Qiming to make a false document to cheat Standard Chartered Bank in December 2020.

Su Baolin, a 41-year-old Cambodian national, faces two charges in total. ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA

Mr Sudheesan said Wang Qiming was a Citibank employee who had been under investigation since 2021, but had not been charged yet.

A Citi spokesman said: “The individual in question has not been in our employ since April 2022. We do not comment on matters that are before the courts.”

Noting his client’s congenital heart condition, which requires a doctor to attend to him, Mr Sudheesan argued for him to be released on bail, but bound by e-tagging or have a proximity ban that stops him from approaching airports and seaports.

Judge Tan said there was a real and high flight risk for Su Baolin, as there was evidence he owns a condominium in China and has the means to relocate. She accepted the risk of collusion and did not grant Su Baolin bail. His case is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Oct 4.

Separately, a cousin of one of the accused persons Wang Baosen, was revealed to be on the authorities’ wanted list. This cousin, known as Subject Y, whom both prosecutors and Wang Baosen’s defence lawyer, Mr Adrian Wee, brought up in court on Wednesday, has had $100 million worth of assets frozen.

DPP Foo Shi Hao said Chinese national Wang Baosen, who faces two money laundering charges, should not be offered bail as there is a risk of collusion and witness tampering with Subject Y.

Noting that Wang Baosen’s wife is also under investigation by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD), and that he was a high flight risk, Judge Tan denied him bail.

Wang Baosen’s case will be mentioned again on Oct 4.

A cousin of Wang Baosen (pictured) has had $100 million worth of assets frozen and is on the authorities’ wanted list. ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA

DPP Foo added that Zhang Ruisheng, the brother of another accused person Zhang Ruijin, is involved in investigations, saying his statement was recorded in August.

This was revealed when Zhang Ruijin’s defence lawyer, Mr Loo Choon Chiaw, applied for his family members to visit him.

Citing ongoing investigations, DPP Foo said Zhang Ruisheng should not be allowed to visit his brother, who faces three charges of forgery.

Zhang Ruijin, a 44-year-old Chinese national whose lawyer said suffered from clinical depression, complained about his ailments.

He said in Mandarin: “I sleep only one to two hours a night. My hands tremble for 20 to 30 minutes, and I feel pain all over my body. My medical condition is getting worse.”

DPP Foo said he could inform the prison doctor about his condition. His case has been adjourned to Oct 18.

Zhang Ruijin’s lover Lin Baoying, 43, the only woman among the 10 accused, was not offered bail on Wednesday.

Mr Loo, who also represents Lin, said he would make immediate arrangements to meet her, and for her family members to have access to her. Lin’s case has been adjourned to Oct 18.

The wife of another accused, Wang Dehai, 34, is also under investigation.

Prosecutors revealed this when the lawyer of Wang Dehai, a Cypriot national, requested for his client to see his family members.

Wang Dehai, who faces two charges under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, will continue to be in remand. His case was adjourned to Oct 18.

Su Jianfeng, 35, who faces four money laundering charges, was also not offered bail on Wednesday.

DPP Edwin Soh said they had just filed an affidavit from an investigation officer in the case.

Su Jianfeng’s lawyer, Mr Ravindran Ramasamy, requested three weeks to file an affidavit in reply, citing the need to obtain documents from overseas, and that the matters raised were very detailed.

The lawyer noted that Su Jianfeng, a Vanuatu national, said he was being interviewed only for one to 1½ hours every day.

Based on this, the lawyer said he hoped the CAD could be more liberal to allow them to take detailed instructions from his client.

The lawyer of Vang Shuiming, 42, who faces the most number of charges among the 10 accused, requested for more time to take directions from his client regarding the prosecution’s application to deny him bail.

Mr Wendell Wong said he had been reviewing Justice Vincent Hoong’s decision to dismiss Vang’s bid for bail on Tuesday.

Vang, a Turkish national who faces one charge of using a forged document and four charges of money laundering, will have a bail review hearing on Sept 14.

Vang allegedly has more than $200 million in assets in Singapore, including four properties and three vehicles, according to an affidavit filed by a CAD investigation officer.

He allegedly financed 10 condominium units at Canninghill Piers, and one condominium unit at Park Nova, which are all currently under construction and served with prohibition of disposal orders. The orders mean they cannot be sold by the accused persons.

Su Wenqiang, 31, denied he was related to the other suspects when he appeared in court via video link.

The Cambodian national, who faces two money laundering charges, spoke up after his case was adjourned for a bail hearing on Oct 18.

He said in Mandarin: “The investigations should show that I am not related to the other accused persons. I have not many other interactions with them, including financial interactions. This involves my own problem, and I have told the investigation officers all of this.”

His lawyer, Mr Nandwani Manoj Prakash, said they would arrange to see him in the next few days and address his concerns.

Cambodian national Chen Qingyuan, 31, requested to see his family members when he appeared in court.

He said in Mandarin: “I have been remanded for 23 days. My children are starting school, and I do not know if they are facing any difficulties. I am very worried.”

The prosecution directed his lawyer, Mr Mark Tan, to write in with the list of visitors who wished to see him.

Chen Qingyuan faces four charges under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act. His case has been adjourned to Oct 18.

The authorities have seized assets amounting to $1.8 billion in what is described as one of Singapore’s largest money laundering cases.

These assets, which were owned by the individuals under investigation or by companies and people linked to them, include 105 properties worth $831 million.

The properties comprise seven detached bungalows in Sentosa Cove, 79 condominium units and 19 commercial or industrial spaces.