First of 10 accused in S$3B money laundering case receives 13-month jail sentence

SINGAPORE: Su Wenqiang (苏文强), one of the ten individuals implicated in Singapore’s landmark S$3 billion money laundering case, was sentenced to 13 months in jail after pleading guilty on Tuesday (2 April) to charges of money laundering.

He becomes the first among the accused to be convicted in the case.

The prosecution recommended a sentence of 12 to 15 months imprisonment for Su, citing his admission of guilt and his agreement to forfeit assets valued at over S$5.9 million to the state.

Su’s defence lawyers argued for a reduced sentence of 11 months’ imprisonment.

The 32-year-old confessed to two counts of money laundering, involving the possession of over S$600,000 in cash derived from illegal remote gambling activities, as well as the utilization of S$500,000 in illicit funds to purchase a Mercedes-Benz car.

Additionally, nine other charges were considered during his sentencing.

Su appeared in court via video link at approximately 10:30 a.m., maintaining a stoic demeanour as the statement of facts was presented.

Su is identified as Cambodian in official records, but his passport reveals his origin as Fujian, China.

Defence lawyer earlier highlighted Su’s desire for his children to benefit from Singapore’s ‘robust education system’

Su possesses passports from China, Cambodia, and Vanuatu, and he relocated two young children to Singapore in 2021 to establish permanent residency and provide them with education here.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Grace Teo informed the court that in 2019, Su became involved in an illegal remote gambling operation based in the Philippines.

This operation targeted individuals in China through an online gambling website, despite the activity being deemed illegal in China. According to the DPP, Su profited from the syndicate's monthly earnings.

Even after moving to Singapore, Su continued his involvement in the illegal gambling business, frequently travelling to the Philippines for this purpose.

In June 2023, Su contacted an individual identified as B, responsible for managing the finances of the remote gambling operation, to claim his share of the profits.

However, B's current location was not disclosed in court.

Subsequently, Su travelled to B's residence carrying two suitcases, from which B handed him S$1 million in cash.

Su then transported the money to Singapore and stored it in a safe at his rented residence.

During the 2023 police raid, authorities discovered S$601,706 in cash in Su's safe, which the prosecution deemed to be proceeds from criminal activities.

The DPP highlighted that providing online gambling services in China constitutes an offence, and Su's involvement in offering these services while in Singapore also violates local laws.

In his arguments, DPP Edwin Soh referenced statements made by Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo in October 2023 regarding criminals attempting to exploit Singapore's financial system for money laundering.

Soh emphasized the need for a suitable sentence to deter similar individuals from using Singapore for illicit activities.

The prosecution is seeking a sentence of 12 to 15 months' imprisonment for Su, considering his willingness to forfeit assets worth over $5.9 million to the state and his early admission of guilt.

Defence lawyer Nandwani Manoj Prakash, seeking an 11-month jail term for his client, highlighted the complete confiscation of Su's assets, which he claimed would leave Su with nothing, causing devastating consequences.

The defence argued that while Su's actions were criminal, they were not targeted at Singapore and did not directly harm any victims in the country.

Some of the accused were subjects of wanted notices in China

On 15 August 2023, Singaporean authorities conducted a comprehensive island-wide operation resulting in the apprehension of 10 Fujian-origin individuals suspected of involvement in money laundering and forgery.

The accused individuals had amassed substantial wealth, not only investing in existing companies but also founding their ventures, fostering diverse networks within the country.

Furthermore, these individuals were involved in local charitable activities and led lavish lifestyles, contributing donations to causes like the President’s Challenge and ComChest.

It was revealed that some of the accused in the S$3 billion money laundering case, are wanted by Chinese authorities for their involvement in various unlawful activities, such as illegal gambling or fraud.

A comparison with Chinese media reports suggests that some of these suspects have been sought by Chinese authorities for their alleged involvement in criminal activities dating as far back as 2015.

In 2015,  the Guiyang County Public Security Bureau discovered that Su Jianfeng, along with other individuals, Wang Dehai, Su Wenqiang, Wang Huoqiang, and Su Yongcan were suspects of a major crime, and they were fugitives at that time.

In a noteworthy connection to the current S$3 billion case, Su, Wang Dehai (王德海), and Su Wenqiang are among the ten individuals arrested and charged.

Cypriot national Su Haijin another accused among the ten individuals facing 14 charges, is expected to plead guilty on 4 April, while Chinese national Wang Baosen, facing two money laundering charges, is anticipated to plead guilty on 16 April.

Assets seized in the case thus far include 207 properties, 77 vehicles, more than S$1.45 billion in bank accounts, and over $76 million in cash in various currencies.

Additionally, authorities have seized thousands of bottles of liquor and wine, cryptocurrency valued at over S$38 million, 68 gold bars, 483 luxury bags, 169 branded watches, and 580 pieces of jewellery.