Rogue tycoon caught in JB after 19 years faces 150 potential offences

The businessman allegedly behind one of the country’s biggest corporate scandals will be remanded for another week for further investigations by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

Ng Teck Lee, 58 and his wife Thor Chwee Hwa, 55, will return to court on Dec 18. They are both being held in Changi Prison.

The pair had fled Singapore in 2005 after authorities launched a probe into Ng’s alleged fraud and embezzlement at recycling firm Citiraya Industries. At the time, he was serving as the firm’s chief executive officer.

On Dec 11, the pair appeared in court via video-link.

Prosecutors said they will need to be in remand as Singapore’s anti-corruption watchdog continues its investigations into more than 150 various possible offences linked to Ng.

CPIB is also investigating further potential offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA) for Thor, in relation to Ng’s offences.

Ng currently faces one count of criminal breach of trust (CBT), and one count under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly giving $20,000 in bribes to an employee of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) to ensure chips delivered to Citiraya from the US-based firm were not completely crushed.

Thor has been charged with one count of dealing with the benefits of criminal conduct.

They are both represented by Mr Aristotle Emmanuel Eng Zhen Yang from Andre Jumabhoy LLC.

At the Dec 11 mention, the court denied the lawyer’s request to speak to the pair. Prosecutors said investigations are still ongoing and at an early stage.

Ng and Thor will return to court on Dec 18.

In January 2005, the couple fled from Singapore as authorities looked into their activities.

After some 19 years on the run, the tycoon and his wife were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Johor Bahru on Dec 3, 2024.

The couple was handed over to CPIB that same day.

Ng’s CBT charge involves allegations that he had dishonestly misappropriated electronic scrap weighing more than 6,700kg when he got his employees to repackage and export them, instead of crushing the scraps for precious metals.

Court documents did not disclose how much it was worth.

The scrap purportedly came from five companies: Texas Instruments, Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific, ChipPac Malaysia, Singapore Technologies Microelectronics and RF Micro Devices (Beijing) Co.

The Straits Times reported in 2008 that investigations at the time revealed he had purportedly made more than US$51 million, which was worth around $72 million at the time, from his schemes.

 

ST understands the pair evaded the authorities by assuming different identities while on the run.

In 2011, an order was made to seize some $23 million worth of assets from Ng, including those held in his wife’s name.

The assets included money in various bank accounts, insurance policies held by the couple, shareholdings in various companies, and proceeds from the sale of his good class bungalow in Binjai Park and a 7,300 sq ft detached house in Paya Lebar.

The case remains the largest seizure of assets made on record by CPIB against a single person.