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Singapore Law Watch
16-07-2025
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
$3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties
$3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties Source: Straits Times Article Date: 16 Jul 2025 Author: Samuel Devaraj The Director of Legal Services, a department under MinLaw, conducted investigations into 24 law practices, and 11 of the probes have been concluded. The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) has taken four law firms and one lawyer to task for anti-money laundering breaches over the purchase of properties in the $3 billion money laundering case, with one of the practices receiving the maximum penalty of $100,000. In a press release on July 15, MinLaw said it is supporting the Director of Legal Services (DLS) in conducting inquiries into the law practices that were involved in the conveyancing of the real estate seized in an anti-money laundering operation in August 2023. It said the DLS conducted investigations into 24 law practices that were involved, and 11 of the probes have been concluded. The DLS heads the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, which is a department under MinLaw that oversees the regulation of all law practice entities and the registration of foreign lawyers in Singapore. The DLS has ordered two law practices to pay financial penalties of $30,000 and $100,000 respectively. A third law practice was issued a statutory notice of the intention to order it to pay a financial penalty of $70,000. A final decision will be made after receiving and considering the firm's written representations, if any, MinLaw said. The ministry added that the DLS privately reprimanded a fourth law practice, and also referred one lawyer to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action. MinLaw did not name the four law practices and the lawyer that have received enforcement action in its press release. The Straits Times has contacted the ministry for more information. The DLS has decided it will not be necessary to take further regulatory action against seven other law practices. Said MinLaw: 'The DLS is considering the inquiry findings for the remaining 13 law practices, and whether any lawyers concerned should be referred to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action.' Among its roles, the Law Society maintains the standards of conduct of the legal profession in Singapore. MinLaw added that a law practice that breaches its anti-money laundering obligations can face regulatory control action against its licence. In response to queries from ST, a MinLaw spokesperson said law practices found to have breached their anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act may be given a warning, ordered to pay a penalty of up to $100,000, or have their law practice licence suspended or revoked. A lawyer who breaches his or her anti-money laundering obligations can face disciplinary proceedings, which could result in monetary penalties, suspension from legal practice or disbarment. Singapore's largest case of money laundering involving $3 billion in cash and assets saw 10 foreigners arrested in multiple islandwide raids here on Aug 15, 2023. The nine men and one woman, who were originally from Fujian, China, were jailed, deported and barred from re-entering Singapore. MinLaw noted that all law practices and lawyers are subject to anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act. These obligations include analysing money laundering risks relating to each client and performing customer due diligence measures that are commensurate with the client's risk profile. A law practice or lawyer also must file a suspicious transaction report (STR) with the police if they suspect the client may be engaged in money laundering, MinLaw noted. It added that if a law practice or lawyer decides to continue to act for the client despite these suspicions, it should substantiate and document the reasons for the decision. It must also adopt enhanced customer due diligence and monitoring measures. MinLaw said law practices must also have internal anti-money laundering policies, procedures and controls that fulfil the regulatory requirements and are sufficiently robust. The ministry said it issued a guidance note to the legal industry on June 23 to highlight the responsibilities of law practices and lawyers under their statutory anti-money laundering obligations. The note covered areas including analysing client risk, identifying material red flags, establishing a client's source of wealth and the timeline for filing an STR. MinLaw said that while Singapore has a comprehensive anti-money laundering regime, the landscape is constantly changing as new money laundering risks and methods emerge. It added: 'Everyone has a role in ensuring that Singapore's anti-money laundering systems continue to be robust, from the law enforcement agencies, to the service providers such as the financial institutions and law practices, to the general public.' The law firms and lawyer were the latest to be dealt with in relation to the $3 billion money laundering case. On July 4, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said nine financial institutions were given $27.45 million in composition penalties, and action was taken against 18 staff. MAS said the financial institutions did not adequately check on customers' sources of wealth, even though there were discrepancies in the documents they had provided. Eight of the nine institutions did not adequately investigate suspicious transactions flagged by their own systems. For the staff, breaches included failure to detect or adequately assess multiple deficiencies during the onboarding of higher-risk customers. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
AsiaOne
15-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
$3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties , Singapore News
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) has taken four law firms and one lawyer to task for anti-money laundering breaches over the purchase of properties in the $3 billion money laundering case, with one of the practices receiving the maximum penalty. In a press release on July 15, MinLaw said it is supporting the Director of Legal Services (DLS) in conducting inquiries into the law practices that were involved in the conveyancing of the real estate seized in an anti-money laundering operation in August 2023. It said the DLS conducted investigations into 24 law practices that were involved, and 11 of the probes have been concluded. The DLS heads the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, which is a department under MinLaw that oversees the regulation of all law practice entities and the registration of foreign lawyers in Singapore. The DLS has ordered two law practices to pay financial penalties of $30,000 and $100,000 respectively. A third law practice was issued a statutory notice of the intention to order it to pay a financial penalty of $70,000. A final decision will be made after receiving and considering the firm's written representations, if any, MinLaw said. The ministry added that the DLS privately reprimanded a fourth law practice, and also referred one lawyer to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action. MinLaw did not name the four law practices and the lawyer that have received enforcement action in its press release. The Straits Times has contacted the ministry for more information. The DLS has decided it will not be necessary to take further regulatory action against seven other law practices. Said MinLaw: "The DLS is considering the inquiry findings for the remaining 13 law practices, and whether any lawyers concerned should be referred to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action." Among its roles, the Law Society maintains the standards of conduct of the legal profession in Singapore. MinLaw added that a law practice that breaches its anti-money laundering obligations can face regulatory control action against its licence. In response to queries from The Straits Times, a MinLaw spokesperson said law practices found to have breached their anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act may be given a warning, ordered to pay a penalty of up to $100,000, or have their law practice licence suspended or revoked. A lawyer who breaches his or her anti-money laundering obligations can face disciplinary proceedings, which could result in monetary penalties, suspension from legal practice or disbarment. Singapore's largest case of money laundering involving $3 billion in cash and assets saw 10 foreigners arrested in multiple islandwide raids here on Aug 15, 2023. The nine men and one woman, who were originally from Fujian, China, were jailed, deported and barred from re-entering Singapore. MinLaw noted that all law practices and lawyers are subject to anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act. These obligations include analysing money laundering risks relating to each client and performing customer due diligence measures that are commensurate with the client's risk profile. A law practice or lawyer also must file a suspicious transaction report (STR) with the police if they suspect the client may be engaged in money laundering, MinLaw noted. It added that if a law practice or lawyer decides to continue to act for the client despite these suspicions, it should substantiate and document the reasons for the decision. It must also adopt enhanced customer due diligence and monitoring measures. MinLaw said law practices must also have internal anti-money laundering policies, procedures and controls that fulfil the regulatory requirements and are sufficiently robust. The ministry said it issued a guidance note to the legal industry on June 23 to highlight the responsibilities of law practices and lawyers under their statutory anti-money laundering obligations. The note covered areas including analysing client risk, identifying material red flags, establishing a client's source of wealth and the timeline for filing an STR. MinLaw said that while Singapore has a comprehensive anti-money laundering regime, the landscape is constantly changing as new money laundering risks and methods emerge. It added: "Everyone has a role in ensuring that Singapore's anti-money laundering systems continue to be robust, from the law enforcement agencies, to the service providers such as the financial institutions and law practices, to the general public." The law firms and lawyer were the latest to be dealt with in relation to the $3 billion money laundering case. On July 4, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said nine financial institutions were given $27.45 million in composition penalties, and action was taken against 18 staff. MAS said the financial institutions did not adequately check on customers' sources of wealth, even though there were discrepancies in the documents they had provided. Eight of the nine institutions did not adequately investigate suspicious transactions flagged by their own systems. For the staff, breaches included failure to detect or adequately assess multiple deficiencies during the onboarding of higher-risk customers. [[nid:719802]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Syrian Druze leader urges local fighters to confront incoming government troops
SWEIDA - A leading Druze spiritual leader accused the Syrian leadership in Damascus of bombarding the southern city of Sweida despite having reached an agreement to quell violence, and he called on fighters to confront Syrian troops entering the city. The video statement by influential Druze Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri on Tuesday poses a challenge for the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces toppled former leader Bashar al-Assad last December and is seeking to bring all of Syrian territory under centralised rule after nearly 14 years of war that had left the country divided into separate enclaves. For months, Druze leaders said they did not trust the new Syrian government and pushed back against the presence of their troops, saying they would secure Sweida with their own local fighters. Neighbouring Israel also conducted strikes on Syrian troops in Sweida and near Damascus with the stated aim of protecting the Druze minority, which is an offshoot of Islam with adherents in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. But earlier this week, a new round of heavy fighting broke out between Druze armed groups and Bedouin fighters in Sweida province, leaving dozens dead and thousands displaced. Syria's defence and interior ministries dispatched units to quell the fighting and exert control over the province. The Druze spiritual leadership said in a written statement on Tuesday morning that it would allow Syrian forces to enter Sweida city to stop the bloodshed, calling on armed groups to surrender their weapons and cooperate with incoming troops. 'TOTAL WAR OF EXTERMINATION' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Man charged with attempted murder of woman at Kallang Wave Mall Singapore Ex-cleaner jailed over safety lapses linked to guard's death near 1-Altitude rooftop bar Singapore Real estate firm PropNex donates $6 million to Community Chest for 25th anniversary Singapore Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? But hours later, al-Hajri, who has been strongly opposed to the new leadership in Damascus, said the statement had been "imposed" on them by Damascus and that Syrian troops had breached the arrangement by continuing to fire on residents. "We are being subject to a total war of extermination," he said in a recorded video statement, calling on all Druze "to confront this barbaric campaign with all means available". Convoys of Syrian army tanks, trucks and motorcycles entered parts of Sweida city by mid-morning and were continuing to fire on neighbourhoods there, a Reuters reporter in Sweida said. The reporter said Israeli warplanes could be seen flying above the city, but there were no immediate reports of strikes. On Monday, Israel's military said it had carried out several strikes on tanks approaching Sweida "to prevent their arrival to the area" because they could pose a threat to Israel. Israel said earlier this year that it would not allow Syria's new army to deploy south of Damascus and that Sweida and neighbouring provinces should make up a demilitarized zone. But some of those tensions had calmed after Israel and Syria began direct talks to prevent conflict in the border region between the two longtime foes. REUTERS
Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Straits Times
Man charged with attempted murder of woman at Kallang Wave Mall
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Chua Jing Yuan had allegedly committed the attack on July 14 at about 1.20am in the mall. SINGAPORE – A man who allegedly attacked a woman with a knife at Kallang Wave Mall has been charged with attempted murder. Chua Jing Yuan, 26, was handed the charge in a district court on July 15. The Singaporean had allegedly committed the attack on July 14 at about 1.20am in a walkway in the mall. He was said to have slashed Ms Choong Wen Ting, 29, on the neck and stabbed her in the chest with a knife, with the intention of murdering her, according to charge sheets. Court documents did not state the reasons for his purported actions. Police said on July 14 that Chua was disarmed and detained by members of the public before being arrested. The police added that they would seek a court order to remand Chua for psychiatric assessment. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Ex-cleaner jailed over safety lapses linked to guard's death near 1-Altitude rooftop bar Singapore Real estate firm PropNex donates $6 million to Community Chest for 25th anniversary Singapore Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Ms Choong was taken to the hospital, where she is in a stable condition. The Straits Times understands that Chua also sustained injuries during the incident. He was charged in hospital in proceedings that were not open to the media. If convicted, he can be jailed for life, or up to 20 years with a fine and caning.
Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Straits Times
‘World's oldest marathon runner' dies at age 114 in road accident
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Mr Fauja Singh, in a photo taken after a 10km event of the Hong Kong Marathon on Feb 24, 2013, was not certified as the oldest marathon runner as he could not prove his age. NEW DELHI – India's Mr Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest distance runner, has died in a road accident at age 114, his biographer said July 15 . Mr Singh, an India-born British national, nicknamed the 'Turbaned Tornado', died after being hit by a vehicle in Punjab state's Jalandhar district on July 14 . 'My Turbaned Tornado is no more,' Mr Singh's biographer, Mr Khushwant Singh, wrote on X. 'He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja.' Mr Singh did not have a birth certificate but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911. He ran full 42km marathons till the age of 100. His last race was a 10km event at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon when he was 101, where he finished in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms, 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Opinion What we can do to fight the insidious threat of 'zombie vapes' Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years India-born British national Fauja Singh waving a Hong Kong flag after crossing the finish line in the 10km event of the Hong Kong Marathon on Feb 24, 2013. FILE PHOTO: AFP He became an international sensation after taking up distance running at the ripe old age of 89, after the death of his wife and one of his sons, inspired by seeing marathons on television. Although widely regarded as the world's oldest marathon runner, he was not certified by Guinness World Records as he could not prove his age, saying that birth certificates did not exist when he was born under British colonial rule in 2011. Mr Singh was a torchbearer for the Olympics at Athens 2004 and London 2012, and appeared in advertisements with sports stars such as David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. His strength and vitality were credited to a routine of farm walks and a diet including Indian sweet 'laddu', packed with dry fruits and home-churned curd. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on social media. 'Fauja Singh was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness,' said Mr Modi on X 'He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world.' AFP
