SINGAPORE: A 60-year-old man has been ordered to pay more than S$1 million to the Government for the money he earned collecting illegal 4D bets over 15 years, the Singapore Police Force said on Thursday (Jan 17).
His 55-year-old wife, Tin Suh Chyong, has been ordered to pay nearly S$30,000.
AdvertisementThe Singaporean couple were convicted and sentenced in March last year for "assisting in the carrying on of a public lottery and managing of remote gambling through the receipt of bets through instant messaging platforms", the police said in a new release.
At that time, Heng Ee Howe was sentenced to three months' jail and fined S$360,000, while his wife was sentenced to two weeks' jail and a S$100,000 fine.
HENG COLLECTED ILLEGAL 4D BETS FOR 15 YEARS: POLICE
Investigations revealed that Heng, with the assistance of his wife, collected illegal 4D bets for an individual known as "Ah Gu" for 15 years, the police said.
AdvertisementAdvertisementUpon receiving the bets, Heng would consolidate them and fax them to Malaysian runners, whose contact details were provided by "Ah Gu". Tin would step in for Heng when he was unable to do so.
Heng received commissions from the bets collected and the winnings of each punter.
During the course of their financial investigation against Heng and Tin, the prosecution obtained a restraint order on the couple's bank accounts and a "charging order" on their condominium unit to "prevent dissipation of the properties", the police said in the release.
They found that Heng and Tin had accumulated an unexplained wealth of S$1,093,246.92 and S$29,669.81, respectively, between Jun 1, 2010 and Jun 3, 2015.
"These amounts were disproportionate to their known sources of income," the police said.
A confiscation order was then sought against the couple to have the total illicit income of S$1,122,916.73 forfeited.
"Any person who is convicted of a serious offence is subjected to have the benefits derived by him from criminal conduct confiscated," the police said.
Additionally, anyone who is convicted of assisting in the carrying on of a public lottery may be jailed up to five years and fined between S$20,000 and S$200,000.
Those convicted of providing unlawful remote gambling services for another person may also be jailed up to five years, fined between S$20,000 and S$200,000, or both.
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