Kim Wong’s company turned over another P200 million—AMLC official

Businessman Kam Sin Wong at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry into the laundering of $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank which was deposited into bank accounts in RCBC’s Jupiter branch in Makati City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Casino junket operator Kim Wong has returned another P200 million to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), which was believed to be part of the alleged $81million stolen funds from the Bangladesh’s central bank.

AMLC Executive Director Julia Bacay-Abad confirmed during Tuesday’s resumption of the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee that Wong’s company, Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. Ltd. through its lawyers, turned over the money to their office “for safekeeping” on Monday.

“I understand Mr. Kim Wong returned P200 million yesterday? Am I correct?” committee chair Senator Teofisto Guingona III asked.

“Yesterday, your honor, Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company through its lawyers turned over the amount of P200 million to the AMLC for safekeeping to be returned to the people of Bangladesh,” Abad said.

Guingona then asked Wong, who was also present in the hearing, if it was part of the P450 million funds that he promised to return if proven that the money was part of the alleged stolen funds from Bangladesh.

READ: Kim Wong vows to turn over another P450M to Senate

“Yes, Sir. Kasi di ba nangako po ako na (Because I have promised that) within a month, (I’ll) return P450 million,” Wong said.

Wong earlier told the committee that a total of P1 billion of the $81 million funds remitted to Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) on Jupiter Street, Makati City branch went to his company, P450 million of which, he said, was debt payment to him by junket operator Shuhua Gao.

READ: $81M laundering: Kim Wong admits P1B went to his company

He said the remaining P550 million was converted into chips and played in the casino, and only more than P40 million of the amount was left. RAM