Criminal complaint filed vs trader, junket operator over $81M heist
Kim Wong. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) on Tuesday filed a criminal complaint before the Department of Justice against two businessmen allegedly involved in laundering of US$81 million from the Bangladesh’s central bank.
In a joint complaint-affidavit, the AMLC filed a case for violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Law against Kam Sin Wong alias Kim Wong and Weikang Xu, a Chinese national and casino junket operator.
Based on the complaint, around $21.6-million went to Wong while Xu got $59.2-million.
READ: AMLC files raps vs trader, casino operator over $81-M fund heist
AMLC anchored its complaint on the testimonies of key personalities at the Senate blue ribbon committee.
It said that accounts under the names of Michael Francisco Cruz, Jessie Christopher Lagrosas, Alfred Santos Vergara and Enrico Teodoro Vasquez were opened by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito upon referral from Wong.
Of the four accounts where the $80,884,641.63 stolen money was remitted, $30.5 million was transferred to the account of Philrem Services Inc., a foreign exchange remittance company.
“Upon instruction of Ms. Maia Santos Deguito, [Philrem] personally delivered a total of $18,000,000 and P600,000,000 to respondent Xu. The delivery was spread over several days from 5 to 13 February 2016,” the complaint stated.
Then, AMLC said Philrem transferred another $28.7 million to Solaire Resort and Casino, which later on also transferred to Xu, a casino junket operator, according to the casino’s corporate secretary Atty. Silverio Tan.
Wong, based on the complaint, received P1 billion or around $21.6 million from the laundered amount through his firm Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company and personal bank account with the Philippine National Bank (PNB).
AMLC said that after PhilRem transferred P1 billion to Eastern Hawaii, Wong made a withdrawal worth P900 million and transferred it to his personal PNB account where he withdrew P400 million.
“Foregoing considered, probable cause exists that respondents Kam Sin Wong [a.k.a.] Kim Wong and Weikang Xu violated Section 4 (a) and (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended, for having transacted and/or transferred, moved, acquired, possessed, or used proceeds of an
unlawful activity,” the complaint stressed.
Earlier, AMLC had already filed a similar complaint against Deguito and the four names where the laundered money was deposited. RAM
