Ex-Police Officer Gets 8 Years Jial for $10M Money Laundering Scheme

A former Singaporean police officer, Thye Wee Boon, 43, has been sentenced to eight years and eight months in jail after being found guilty of laundering $10.3 million in criminal proceeds for a foreign syndicate. Tempted by a promised $1 million reward, Thye created a shell company in 2018 to serve as a conduit for the scam. The syndicate utilized the shell company, which falsely posed as an ice cream business, to receive funds stolen from a French pharmaceutical firm deceived in a business email impersonation scam during the pandemic.

The scheme involved the pharmaceutical company transferring $10 million for a purported order of masks and sanitizers, which Thye then channeled through his corporate account. Within a week, he withdrew the entire amount and transported $4 million to syndicate leaders in various locations, including Macau and Sydney, before being arrested in 2021 by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD). He is currently out on $150,000 bail after appealing his sentence.

Prosecutors argue that Thye exploited people’s urgent need for medical supplies during the pandemic. They pointed to his history as a former police officer, claiming this heightened his culpability. Investigations further revealed he purchased a luxury Porsche using some of the criminal proceeds. Deputy Public Prosecutor Kevin Yong noted that Thye took extensive steps to disguise the scam, including messaging the syndicate leader, “Augereau,” to imply the $10 million transfer was a mistake.

Thye claimed the money was intended for a food court venture in Singapore with Augereau, a man he met by chance in Seoul. The prosecution dismissed his defense as incoherent and unsupported, noting Thye’s shifting justifications for the $1 million payment. Prosecutors emphasized that Thye’s only “work” on the joint venture was facilitating the laundering process.

This case underscores the authorities’ commitment to prosecuting individuals who leverage their knowledge of legal systems for illicit financial activities.

Comments

3,600 Cartons of Illegal Cigarettes Seized in Singapore

Singapore Customs successfully disrupted an attempt to distribute duty-unpaid cigarettes, arresting three individuals and seizing 3,600 cartons of contraband cigarettes in operations conducted on March 1, 2025. The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded in this case amounted to approximately $389,944. Officers also seized two vans used in the smuggling operation and $19,000 in suspected illegal proceeds. As part of efforts to combat illicit activities involving duty-unpaid goods, Customs officers conducted an operation at a car park along Upper Serangoon Road, where they observed two men approaching two parked vans. Upon inspecting the vehicles, officers found that each van contained 1,800 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes. The two men, both Malaysian nationals aged 36 and 45, were immediately arrested. Following this operation, a follow-up raid was conducted at a residence in Segar Road, where a 37-year-old Singaporean man was arrested. A search of the premises led t...

Elderly Coffee Shop Patron Suffers Severe Back Pain Following Altercation

Update: Police have identified a forty-year-old man involved in an incident on August 15 2026 at Roxy Square food court along East Coast Road. Investigations were launched after a seventy-three-year-old man, identified as wonton noodle stall owner Yeo Song Khoon, was shoved to the ground. Mr Yeo, who has difficulty walking, had patted a young girl on the head because he found her adorable. The child's father became upset and confronted him, resulting in the fall. CCTV footage shared online by Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle showed the shove and sparked public appeals. Although the father later apologized and bought Mr Yeo a drink, Mr Yeo began experiencing back pain hours later and is currently managing it with medication. Police confirmed a report was made and urged the public to avoid speculation as investigations continue. Mr Yeo expressed that he does not wish to cause further trouble. _______________________________________________________ A viral social media post has sparked concern...

MP Gan Siow Huang Clarifies and Apologises for Handshake Incident

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Marymount Single Member Constituency, has publicly apologised after a video showing a delayed handshake during a public event circulated widely online and drew criticism from netizens. The video, which surfaced on social media on June 7 and has since garnered over 185,000 views on TikTok alone, captured Ms Gan exiting a car and being greeted by a group of eight men at an event. Among them was a man in a red shirt, who helped her close the car door and extended his hand for a handshake. However, in the footage, Ms Gan is seen initially shaking hands with another man she was introduced to, while momentarily overlooking the man in red. The handshake with the man in red took place shortly after, once Ms Gan had greeted the others. Speaking to the media on June 8, Ms Gan clarified that the incident took place on May 17 during her visit to the inaugural Peck San ...

LAKOPINEWS.COM

Search This Blog