Singaporean Pi Jiapeng, 26, and his wife, 27-year-old Thai national Siriwipa Pansuk, are accused of deceiving Tradenation customers into paying for luxury watches they did not intend to deliver.
They are also accused of cheating customers of their other luxury goods firm Tradeluxury into buying luxury handbags.
Describing the case as "complex", the prosecution requested that the couple be remanded at the Central Police Division for an additional week for investigations.
The case involves losses of more than S$20 million and more time is needed to determine the whereabouts of the funds, the prosecution said.
Pi's lawyer Bhargavan Sujatha and Pansuk's lawyer Johannes Hadi, who both appeared to represent their clients for the first time, did not object to them being further remanded.
The alleged offences took place between May 28, 2021 and Jun 27 this year, according to court documents.
Pi and Pansuk had been on the run for about five weeks when they were arrested in Malaysia and handed over to Singapore police on Aug 11.
When they appeared before the court the next day, Deputy Public Prosecutor David Koh describedtheir two cheating charges as "holding charges", adding that investigations were still at an early stage.
This is because the couple absconded, and because time was needed to investigate the more than 180 police reports made, he said.
The couple allegedly involved in a luxury goods scam, related to undelivered items worth $32 million, will be further remanded in prison for a week as more time is needed for investigations.
Pi Jiapeng, 26, and his Thai wife Pansuk Siriwapa, 27, have both engaged lawyers to represent them.
Ms Bhargavan Sujatha from Gavan Law Practice LLC is acting for Pi, while Mr Johannes Hadi from Eugene Thuraisingam LLP is representing Pansuk.
A prosecutor told the court on Friday (Aug 19) more time was needed for investigations as the case is complex, involving more than 180 police reports.
He said: "It involves losses of more than $20 million and the investigation officer needs more time to find out the whereabouts of the funds received by the two companies (Tradenation and Trade Luxury)."
She yawned because she wasn't the least bit interested in the proceedings, after all she already knew her ass would end up in jail for a couple of years regardless - her thoughts probably drifted to how she intends to enjoy those ill-gotten gains upon getting released :P
Luxury goods scam: Fugitive couple arrested in Johor Bahru, brought back to Singapore
SINGAPORE — A couple who allegedly scammed millions of dollars from luxury goods buyers was nabbed in Johor Bahru on Thursday (Aug 11) with the help of Thai and Malaysian authorities, about a month after fleeing Singapore by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry.
Singaporean Pi Jiapeng, 26, and his 27-year-old Thai wife, Pansuk Siriwipa, have been accused of cheating victims who made advance payments forluxury watches and bags. The pair then purportedly failed to deliver the goods.
Arrest warrants and Interpol red notices were issued against them after at least 180 police reports involving the two companies they were behind, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, were lodged since June.
On Thursday, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that it received information from the Royal Thai Police on Wednesday that Pi and Pansuk may be hiding in a hotel across the Causeway in Johor Bahru.
The Singapore police then sought the Royal Malaysia Police's help to locate them. The couple was arrested by Malaysian police on Thursday and handed over to SPF.
They will be charged in court on Friday, SPF added.
Two Malaysian men have already been charged with conspiring to arrange for the couple to be smuggled out of Singapore in a Malaysia-registered lorry through Tuas Checkpoint on July 4.
The men — Mohamad Fazli Abdul Rahman, 38, and lorry driver Mohamed Alias, 40 — recently indicated that they wish to plead guilty. They have been remanded here due to the high risk that they could also flee the country.
Pi, who was born in Fujian province in China, was initially arrested in Singapore on June 27. He had his passport impounded and was released on bail the next day, pending the completion of investigations.
Pansuk was assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on June 30.
Both later could not be contacted.
Tradenation was registered as a precious stones and metals dealer on April 2, the Ministry of Law said. Registered dealers are regulated under the Registrar of Regulated Dealers for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism purposes.
Its registration has been suspended and can be cancelled.
Under the Immigration Act, a person who abets anyone to leave Singapore illegally faces at least six months’ and up to two years’ jail and may also be fined up to S$6,000.
Any abetment of offences in Singapore, even if committed outside the country, is punishable under the law here.
Despite being flush with cash they only managed to last 5 weeks. To think Mas Selamat evaded capture for far longer with much lesser resources on him, tsk tsk
Naked couple found in shallow grave with gunshots to the head in Thailand....could it be them??
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A man and a woman were found in a fresh grave in Chok Chai district on Thursday evening and local residents said they were not known to them.
A villager gathering forest products reported finding a fresh pile of earth covered over with branches near Ban Don Lai village in tambon Tha Yiam, about 400 metres from the nearest road.
The village head and other residents went to check it out. They dug into the soil and quicky stopped when they uncovered part of a human body.
Police were called to the scene and rescue workers dug deeper, uncovering the bodies of a man and a woman buried less than one metre down. The bodies were naked.
Village headman Thepbancha Saikrathok said the woman’s body was above the man's body in the grave, and each was mostly covered with a layer of cement.
It was initially estimated they had been dead at least three days. Local people said they did not recognise them, and there have been no reports of people missing in the general area. Police said it was likely they were murdered elsewhere and their bodies brought to the forest and hidden.
The two bodies were taken to Chok Chai Hospital for full post-mortem examination to support investigation and identification.
The woman had a tattoo on her back and a distinctive flower-pattern tattoo on her lower right arm and right hand.
Police have distributed photos of the tattoos to help identify the victims, who were believed to be foreigners, possibly migrant workers, because the tattoo pattern was not popular with Thais.
Officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said later that both victims had been shot in the head and doctors confirmed they had been dead at least a week.
For all you know they could have faked their own deaths by purchasing two corpses and bribing the relevant people to spread word about them supposedly being dead already
Luxury goods scam: Second suspected accomplice to be charged after helping couple flee Singapore
SINGAPORE — A second man was arrested in Malaysia on Friday (July 29) for his suspected involvement in helping a couple flee Singapore earlier this month. The couple were alleged to have failed to deliver luxury watches and bags to buyers.
In a statement, the police said that a 38-year-old Malaysian man — who was not named — will be charged on Saturday with abetting an illegal departure from Singapore.
The police added that the arrest was carried out with “strong co-operation and assistance” from the Royal Malaysia Police.
Investigations revealed that the 38-year-old man allegedly entered into a conspiracy with a 40-year-old Malaysian man named Mohamed Alias to commit the offence on July 4.
It was not immediately clear what role the 38-year-old suspect played in the couple’s escape.
Mohamed Alias, a lorry driver, was charged on July 15 with helping 27-year-old Pansuk Siriwapa, a Thai woman, to leave Singapore in the container compartment of a Malaysia-registered lorry.
He was handed another charge last Friday with helping her husband, 26-year-old Singaporean Pi Jiapeng leave the country in the same way.
Pi and Pansuk were said to have cheated victims who made advance payments for millions of dollars in luxury watches and bags.
Pi was arrested on June 27. He had his passport impounded and was released on bail the next day, pending the completion of investigations.
Pansuk was assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on June 30.
Both later could not be contacted.
Arrest warrants and Interpol red notices have been issued against them, after at least 180 police reports involving two companies, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, were made from June.
The Singapore police have also appealed to the public for information on the missing couple.
Interpol said that Pi was born in Fujian, China, while Pansuk is from Roi Et, a province in central north-eastern Thailand. The agency added that Pansuk is 1.64m tall.
Under the Immigration Act, a person who abets anyone to leave Singapore illegally faces at least six months’ and up to two years’ jail and may also be fined up to S$6,000.
Any abetment of offences in Singapore, even if committed outside the country, is punishable under Singapore law.
Within 2 years, Singaporean Pi Jiapeng met his wife - Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa - and they started a business trading luxury goods. Now the couple are on the run after they failed to deliver $32m worth of items to customers. A timeline of the saga:
We were friends: Couple who lost S$180,000 on how they fell victim to luxury goods scam
SINGAPORE: When husband and wife Jasper and Alice (not their real names) bought a luxury watch online, they did not know it would be the start of a close friendship with a couple who eventually went on the run, allegedly with S$180,000 of their money and millions of dollars from other victims.
The couple decided to order their first watch from Tradenation in September last year after seeing Instagram influencers promoting the company and reading many positive customer reviews on e-commerce platform Carousell.
“My husband was a little bit sceptical at first. But I told him, just give it a leap of faith since it’s a Singapore company and somebody actually promoted it. It shouldn't be a scam or something, right?” Alice told CNA.
They did not see any negative reviews left by customers on the company's Carousell page, which advertised watches with a wait time of two to four weeks. "Everyone said they received their watch,” she said.
The day Jasper and Alice met Siriwipa Pansuk to collect their first watch, she took the couple to a watch shop in Orchard Road to authenticate the purchase. The watch was authentic, and the couple decided she was trustworthy even though the delivery of the watch was delayed by a few days.
She then asked the couple out for dinner on the same day, and they had dinner together at an upscale restaurant in a hotel. After the restaurant closed, the 27-year-old Thai national invited the couple to her home.
“We found that we could click quite well and we became friends,” Alice said, adding that the other couple encouraged them to also start an account on Carousell buying and selling watches at a profit.
For months, Jasper and Alice frequently met Pansuk and her husband Pi Jiapeng, a 26-year-old Singaporean. The four of them chatted, had meals together and went shopping.
It was not a business relationship involving the buying and selling of watches, but a friendship, Jasper said.
“The husband talked a lot about cars, talked a lot about watches. So we had common topics ... and we met up almost every other day.”
Pansuk and Pi are accused of cheating victims like Jasper and Alice who made advance payments for luxury watches and bags they sold under two companies – Tradenation and Tradeluxury.
Arrest warrants and Interpol notices have been issued against the couple, who are wanted in connection with a series of cheating cases associated with these companies.
As of Jul 20, at least 180 reports involving the two companies have been made, said the Singapore Police Force.
While some media reports said the total value of the undelivered goods was S$32 million, CNA understands that the victims who made police reports have not received goods worth at least S$20 million as of Jul 7.
RED FLAGS
As time passed, Jasper and Alice’s friendship with the couple became more intense. Months into the friendship, Pansuk and Pi, or “JP” as the couple called him, invited them to their home to meet Pansuk's grandmother and have meals cooked by a private chef.
“I just felt that it was a bit too much and that it was another red flag. Nobody does things to that extent … Her grandmother comes over and (they get a) private chef,” said Jasper, adding that this took place in November to December 2021.
“It’s just too ridiculous. After that time, we started to distance ourselves because I realised something was not right.”
Alice said they did not dare to raise their suspicions because Pansuk "always says 'I can sue you'".
"And of course we didn't want to get into any trouble because we're running a business as well ... We also did not have any concrete evidence that it was really a scam," she said.
In January this year, Pansuk suggested that Jasper and Alice purchase more products from them.
Jasper said he felt then that something was "very fishy". But his doubts abated slightly when the couple told them they would be opening a physical store.
“That's when I thought I was thinking too much ... They have a shop and need to start it up, need to buy more watches – that’s what they told me – to get ready for the shop’s opening."
And so they bought more watches from the couple. They waited months and despite repeated requests, did not get the products they paid for.
Jasper and Alice made a police report on Jun 11.
Alice said she received text messages from Pansuk berating Jasper for making a police report.
“She said: 'I got a report from your husband. Very disappointed when you all know us for a while, but still like this. Anyway tell your husband, please wait until the court is done then see if he can get his money.'”
Pi was arrested on Jun 27 for his suspected involvement in cheating offences, the police said previously. His passport was impounded and he was released on bail on Jun 28, pending the completion of investigations.
Pansuk was also assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on Jun 30.
The couple fled Singapore on Jul 4 by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry. Thelorry driver has been chargedwith helping them escape.
They still owe Jasper and Alice about S$180,000. At one point, the outstanding amount was S$850,000, but Pi and Pansuk paid part of this back in multiple transactions after repeated demands.
According to Jasper and Alice, when they made their police report, they were advised that this was a breach of contract and that they should engage a lawyer.
Just before Pi and Pansuk fled Singapore, Alice and Jasper tried to trace the couple’s whereabouts, but were always a step behind.
OTHER VICTIMS
Another victim CNA spoke to said his first order with Pi and Pansuk went smoothly. But he waited four months for his second order and received a watch that was not brand new, unlike what was advertised.
The victim, who wanted to be known only as Marcus, said his last purchase with Tradenation was in June when he bought two Rolex watches for his friend and for himself.
The couple told him another customer had bought more Rolexes that would be delivered in two weeks. They asked if he wanted to buy over some of the watches as that customer needed cash urgently.
Marcus bought another watch and paid them a total of S$78,000. But two weeks went by and no watches were delivered. The couple told him that the shipments were delayed, but Pi began ignoring his WhatsApp messages and refused to take his calls.
“Suddenly, they messaged me – sorry, we are under investigation now,” Marcus said.
He made a police report on Jul 1 and joined a Telegram group with more than 180 other victims who were waiting for their goods.
Some victims had already started legal proceedings against Pi and Pansuk, he said.
“There were so many victims before me, and they went as far (back) as January.”
Some of the victims were first-time buyers, who were misled by Tradenation’s legitimacy due to its physical store and its registration with the Ministry of Law, said Marcus.
Tradenation was registered as a precious stones and metals dealer. Registered dealers are regulated only for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism purposes, the ministry said previously.
Its registration has since been suspended.
First-time buyer Justine (not her real name) ordered a Rolex Submariner worth close to S$20,000 on behalf of a friend. She told CNA that purchasing the watch from an authorised dealer or a Rolex shop would have meant a wait of several years.
“We actually put our name on the (authorised dealer's waitlist), just that we need to wait for a very long time. If you want to get the watch faster, this is the only way.”
Tradenation also was selling the watch for about 10 per cent cheaper than its retail price.
“(I wanted to) get the first one and see if they can deliver ... If it was okay, we actually planned to buy some more,” said Justine.
But after she made her purchase in May, the excuses from the couple began.
First, they told her that the watch would take about two weeks to be delivered. Then they said the shipment was delayed.
“They did mention that if I wanted a refund, I can request a refund. I did not at that time because I've already waited this long and then they promised that the shipment will arrive at the end of the month,” Justine said.
At the end of May, the couple said that the watch had arrived in Singapore but was stuck in customs due to a “tax clearance issue”. It would only be delivered to her towards the end of June.
Justine’s subsequent messages to them from mid-June went unanswered. She eventually made a police report in July.
“After the incident, I explained to my friend and then we split the cost. (He was) devastated, pissed off, but cannot do anything.”
The money lost is a "significant amount" of her savings, Justine said. “I'm still hoping that we can get some back, hopefully even a small portion of the amount I would be okay – at least we have something back.”
Luxury goods fugitives: 100% checks on outgoing vehicles will severely worsen traffic, disrupt trade flows, says ICA
SINGAPORE — Conducting checks on all outgoing vehicles from Singapore's land checkpoints will have a significant impact on trade and travel, and could also "severely worsen" the departure traffic situation, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
"While the checks may not be 100 per cent, they are not minimal or negligible in number," said the authority.
ICA was responding to TODAY's queries on Saturday (July 23) about how a couple fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury watches and bags to their buyers.
The fugitives — Singaporean Pi Jiapeng and Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa — had left the country by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry, and were assisted by a 40-year-old Malaysian man.
TODAY also asked if ICA is considering a review of its policy of not checking 100 per cent of outgoing vehicles at the border checkpoints.
In response, ICA said that Singapore's land checkpoints are one of the busiest land crossings in the world, and about 200,000 travellers depart daily prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
Any delay in clearing departure traffic during peak hours can cause traffic tailback onto the roads inland, such as the Bukit Timah Expressway for Woodlands Checkpoint and the Ayer Rajah Expressway for Tuas Checkpoint, said ICA.
It added that such delays would also disrupt trade flows between Singapore and Malaysia.
ICA said that it adopts a "risk management approach" to departure clearance screening of people, goods and conveyances and takes an "arrival-centric approach" to border security, which ICA added is a common practice internationally and done to optimise resources.
This is why the approach to departure checks changes based on Singapore's prevailing security posture, ICA said in its response.
"For example, enhanced checks will be conducted on departing conveyances in the aftermath of major security incidents to prevent the perpetrators from leaving Singapore," said ICA.
On the other hand, ICA subjects all arriving conveyances to 100 per cent checks in order to safeguard Singapore's borders "against the entry of smuggled, illegal or undesirable persons and goods, and especially security sensitive items".
This is a key priority for the authority, it said. "A more balanced approach has therefore been adopted," said ICA.
Explaining its current approach, ICA said it conducts regular and random operations on departing conveyances on a day-to-day basis. The checks include car boots, the luggage and engine compartments of buses, as well as the cabin and container compartments of lorries.
Targeted and thorough checks may also be conducted on departing traffic based on risk-profiling and information received, it said.
Morale of story: Never believe people who claim to be rich by flaunting their purported wealth. The world is full of trickery and everything you encounter might just be an illusion.
The truly rich ones are those who often maintain low profiles.
Singaporean, Thai wife wanted by Interpol may have fled to Thailand
A Singaporean and his Thai wife who skipped bail in Singapore on charges of internet fraud involving luxury watches and bags worth hundreds of millions of baht are reported to have fled to Thailand.
Deputy police spokesman Pol Col Krisana Pattanacharoen said on Thursday that Pi Jiapeng, a Singaporean, and his Thai wife, Siriwipa Pansuk, were arrested in Singapore last month.
Singapore's CNA news channel reported that the couple were presumed to have fled Singapore by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
At least 180 complaints involving two companies, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, which were operated by the couple, have been made to police since June.
The complainants said they made advance payments for luxury watches or bags that were not delivered.
CNA reported the 26-year-old Singaporean man was arrested on June 27. He was released on bail the next day after his passport was impounded. His wife, 27, surrendered her passport on June 30. Since then, the couple could not be contacted.
Chinese daily Shin Min Daily News said the couple, also known by their aliases Kevin and Ann, had left Singapore and entered Malaysia from Tuas Checkpoint and were believed to now be in Thailand.
Pol Col Krisana said damages from the alleged fraud were estimated at the equivalent of 800 million baht.
The couple had fled after being granted bail, he confirmed, but did not say if they came to Thailand.
Interpol has issued a Red Notice, indicating arrest warrants have been issued for the couple in Singapore. However, Singapore has not contacted the Royal Thai Police for help.
The Shin Min Daily News reported that before the couple started the luxury good business, Kevin worked as shoe salesman. He met Ann through a dating app.
After they married, the couple opened two companies selling pre-ordered brand-name items to customers using the social media and websites as their trading channels. They continued their business until customers began to suspect something was amiss after the couple fell behind in delivering the goods on order.
A 37-year-old customer told the news agency he paid more than S$700,000 (18 million baht) for six Rolex and Patek Philippe watches, which they never received.
The customer had bought from the couple before, and there was no problem.
The couple told the customer there was a delay in shipment and tax procedures because of the Russian war in Ukraine and they would have to wait for three months for the issue to clear up, according to Shin Min Daily News.
As the saying goes, like mother like son, I doubt she is 100% ignorant of what her son was up to; if anything she might even be subtly complicit in the whole cheating conspiracy. The authorities had better monitor her ass like a hawk, ICA has already fucked up enough and they can't afford another misstep.
Couple who fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury goods listed on Interpol red notice website
SINGAPORE: A couple who fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury watches and bags to buyers have been listed on the Interpol red notice website on Thursday (Jul 21).
Pi Jiapeng, a 26-year-old Singaporean man, and 27-year-old Pansuk Siriwipa from Thailand are wanted fugitives, according to Interpol.
Pi was born in Fujian, China, while Pansuk is from Roi Et, a province in central northeastern Thailand, said Interpol. The agency added that Pansuk has a height of 1.64m.
At least 180 reports involving two companies, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, have been made to the police from June to date.
While some media reports said the total value of the undelivered goods is S$32 million, CNA understands that the victims who made police reports have not received goods worth at least S$20 million as of Sunday.
The complainants said they made advance payments to the company for luxury watches or bags, but the companies did not deliver the products.
A 40-year-old Malaysian man had helped the couple leave Singapore illegally by allegedly hiding them in a lorry, ICA said in response to queries from CNA. The police have arrested the man.
WHAT IS AN INTERPOL RED NOTICE?
According to Interpol, red notices are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence.
It is a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person, pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.
Red notices are published by Interpol at the request of a member country and must comply with Interpol’s constitution and rules. A red notice is not an international arrest warrant, said Interpol.
Each member country decides what legal value it gives to a red notice and the authority of law enforcement officers to make the arrests.
There are currently about 69,000 valid red notices, of which around 7,500 are public, according to Interpol data.
Am really amazed at the kind of people the PAP gives Sinkie citizenship to these days.
How about recently ousted Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is "holidaying" in SG right now? Might he also stand a chance of becoming a Sinkie? Can lah, after all they belong to the same fraternity of cheating scumbags. ;)
Tradenation luxury goods scam: Couple remanded further as prosecution seeks more time for investigations
SINGAPORE: The prosecution on Friday (Aug 19) requested more time to investigate the couple who were allegedly involved in a multimillion-dollar luxury goods scam.
Singaporean Pi Jiapeng, 26, and his wife, 27-year-old Thai national Siriwipa Pansuk, are accused of deceiving Tradenation customers into paying for luxury watches they did not intend to deliver.
They are also accused of cheating customers of their other luxury goods firm Tradeluxury into buying luxury handbags.
Describing the case as "complex", the prosecution requested that the couple be remanded at the Central Police Division for an additional week for investigations.
The case involves losses of more than S$20 million and more time is needed to determine the whereabouts of the funds, the prosecution said.
Pi's lawyer Bhargavan Sujatha and Pansuk's lawyer Johannes Hadi, who both appeared to represent their clients for the first time, did not object to them being further remanded.
The alleged offences took place between May 28, 2021 and Jun 27 this year, according to court documents.
Pi and Pansuk had been on the run for about five weeks when they were arrested in Malaysia and handed over to Singapore police on Aug 11.
When they appeared before the court the next day, Deputy Public Prosecutor David Koh described their two cheating charges as "holding charges", adding that investigations were still at an early stage.
This is because the couple absconded, and because time was needed to investigate the more than 180 police reports made, he said.
More at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tradenation-luxury-goods-scam-pi-jiapeng-siriwipa-pansuk-remand-investigations-2888866
Miss Piggy appeared impatient and yawned incessantly whilst the prosecutor spoke 🤪
It is suspected that they may have been betrayed by their Thai accomplices:
Pi Jiapeng and Pansuk Siriwipa were arrested at Bookme Hotel in Bukit Indah, Johor:
这家廉价酒店Bookme Hotel位于柔佛州武吉英达Jusco附近
Luxury goods scam: Fugitive couple arrested in Johor Bahru, brought back to Singapore
SINGAPORE — A couple who allegedly scammed millions of dollars from luxury goods buyers was nabbed in Johor Bahru on Thursday (Aug 11) with the help of Thai and Malaysian authorities, about a month after fleeing Singapore by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry.
Singaporean Pi Jiapeng, 26, and his 27-year-old Thai wife, Pansuk Siriwipa, have been accused of cheating victims who made advance payments for luxury watches and bags. The pair then purportedly failed to deliver the goods.
Arrest warrants and Interpol red notices were issued against them after at least 180 police reports involving the two companies they were behind, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, were lodged since June.
On Thursday, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that it received information from the Royal Thai Police on Wednesday that Pi and Pansuk may be hiding in a hotel across the Causeway in Johor Bahru.
The Singapore police then sought the Royal Malaysia Police's help to locate them. The couple was arrested by Malaysian police on Thursday and handed over to SPF.
They will be charged in court on Friday, SPF added.
Two Malaysian men have already been charged with conspiring to arrange for the couple to be smuggled out of Singapore in a Malaysia-registered lorry through Tuas Checkpoint on July 4.
The men — Mohamad Fazli Abdul Rahman, 38, and lorry driver Mohamed Alias, 40 — recently indicated that they wish to plead guilty. They have been remanded here due to the high risk that they could also flee the country.
Pi, who was born in Fujian province in China, was initially arrested in Singapore on June 27. He had his passport impounded and was released on bail the next day, pending the completion of investigations.
Pansuk was assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on June 30.
Both later could not be contacted.
Tradenation was registered as a precious stones and metals dealer on April 2, the Ministry of Law said. Registered dealers are regulated under the Registrar of Regulated Dealers for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism purposes.
Its registration has been suspended and can be cancelled.
Under the Immigration Act, a person who abets anyone to leave Singapore illegally faces at least six months’ and up to two years’ jail and may also be fined up to S$6,000.
Any abetment of offences in Singapore, even if committed outside the country, is punishable under the law here.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/luxury-goods-scam-couple-arrested-1967161
Naked couple found in shallow grave with gunshots to the head in Thailand....could it be them??
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A man and a woman were found in a fresh grave in Chok Chai district on Thursday evening and local residents said they were not known to them.
A villager gathering forest products reported finding a fresh pile of earth covered over with branches near Ban Don Lai village in tambon Tha Yiam, about 400 metres from the nearest road.
The village head and other residents went to check it out. They dug into the soil and quicky stopped when they uncovered part of a human body.
Police were called to the scene and rescue workers dug deeper, uncovering the bodies of a man and a woman buried less than one metre down. The bodies were naked.
Village headman Thepbancha Saikrathok said the woman’s body was above the man's body in the grave, and each was mostly covered with a layer of cement.
It was initially estimated they had been dead at least three days. Local people said they did not recognise them, and there have been no reports of people missing in the general area. Police said it was likely they were murdered elsewhere and their bodies brought to the forest and hidden.
The two bodies were taken to Chok Chai Hospital for full post-mortem examination to support investigation and identification.
The woman had a tattoo on her back and a distinctive flower-pattern tattoo on her lower right arm and right hand.
Police have distributed photos of the tattoos to help identify the victims, who were believed to be foreigners, possibly migrant workers, because the tattoo pattern was not popular with Thais.
Officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said later that both victims had been shot in the head and doctors confirmed they had been dead at least a week.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2356932/murdered-couple-found-in-fresh-forest-grave
Luxury goods scam: Second suspected accomplice to be charged after helping couple flee Singapore
SINGAPORE — A second man was arrested in Malaysia on Friday (July 29) for his suspected involvement in helping a couple flee Singapore earlier this month. The couple were alleged to have failed to deliver luxury watches and bags to buyers.
In a statement, the police said that a 38-year-old Malaysian man — who was not named — will be charged on Saturday with abetting an illegal departure from Singapore.
The police added that the arrest was carried out with “strong co-operation and assistance” from the Royal Malaysia Police.
Investigations revealed that the 38-year-old man allegedly entered into a conspiracy with a 40-year-old Malaysian man named Mohamed Alias to commit the offence on July 4.
It was not immediately clear what role the 38-year-old suspect played in the couple’s escape.
Mohamed Alias, a lorry driver, was charged on July 15 with helping 27-year-old Pansuk Siriwapa, a Thai woman, to leave Singapore in the container compartment of a Malaysia-registered lorry.
He was handed another charge last Friday with helping her husband, 26-year-old Singaporean Pi Jiapeng leave the country in the same way.
Pi and Pansuk were said to have cheated victims who made advance payments for millions of dollars in luxury watches and bags.
Pi was arrested on June 27. He had his passport impounded and was released on bail the next day, pending the completion of investigations.
Pansuk was assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on June 30.
Both later could not be contacted.
Arrest warrants and Interpol red notices have been issued against them, after at least 180 police reports involving two companies, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, were made from June.
The Singapore police have also appealed to the public for information on the missing couple.
Interpol said that Pi was born in Fujian, China, while Pansuk is from Roi Et, a province in central north-eastern Thailand. The agency added that Pansuk is 1.64m tall.
Under the Immigration Act, a person who abets anyone to leave Singapore illegally faces at least six months’ and up to two years’ jail and may also be fined up to S$6,000.
Any abetment of offences in Singapore, even if committed outside the country, is punishable under Singapore law.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/luxury-goods-scam-suspect-charge-arrest-accomplice-couple-flee-singapore-1957036
Within 2 years, Singaporean Pi Jiapeng met his wife - Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa - and they started a business trading luxury goods. Now the couple are on the run after they failed to deliver $32m worth of items to customers. A timeline of the saga:
We were friends: Couple who lost S$180,000 on how they fell victim to luxury goods scam
SINGAPORE: When husband and wife Jasper and Alice (not their real names) bought a luxury watch online, they did not know it would be the start of a close friendship with a couple who eventually went on the run, allegedly with S$180,000 of their money and millions of dollars from other victims.
The couple decided to order their first watch from Tradenation in September last year after seeing Instagram influencers promoting the company and reading many positive customer reviews on e-commerce platform Carousell.
“My husband was a little bit sceptical at first. But I told him, just give it a leap of faith since it’s a Singapore company and somebody actually promoted it. It shouldn't be a scam or something, right?” Alice told CNA.
They did not see any negative reviews left by customers on the company's Carousell page, which advertised watches with a wait time of two to four weeks. "Everyone said they received their watch,” she said.
The day Jasper and Alice met Siriwipa Pansuk to collect their first watch, she took the couple to a watch shop in Orchard Road to authenticate the purchase. The watch was authentic, and the couple decided she was trustworthy even though the delivery of the watch was delayed by a few days.
She then asked the couple out for dinner on the same day, and they had dinner together at an upscale restaurant in a hotel. After the restaurant closed, the 27-year-old Thai national invited the couple to her home.
“We found that we could click quite well and we became friends,” Alice said, adding that the other couple encouraged them to also start an account on Carousell buying and selling watches at a profit.
For months, Jasper and Alice frequently met Pansuk and her husband Pi Jiapeng, a 26-year-old Singaporean. The four of them chatted, had meals together and went shopping.
It was not a business relationship involving the buying and selling of watches, but a friendship, Jasper said.
“The husband talked a lot about cars, talked a lot about watches. So we had common topics ... and we met up almost every other day.”
Pansuk and Pi are accused of cheating victims like Jasper and Alice who made advance payments for luxury watches and bags they sold under two companies – Tradenation and Tradeluxury.
Arrest warrants and Interpol notices have been issued against the couple, who are wanted in connection with a series of cheating cases associated with these companies.
As of Jul 20, at least 180 reports involving the two companies have been made, said the Singapore Police Force.
While some media reports said the total value of the undelivered goods was S$32 million, CNA understands that the victims who made police reports have not received goods worth at least S$20 million as of Jul 7.
RED FLAGS
As time passed, Jasper and Alice’s friendship with the couple became more intense. Months into the friendship, Pansuk and Pi, or “JP” as the couple called him, invited them to their home to meet Pansuk's grandmother and have meals cooked by a private chef.
“I just felt that it was a bit too much and that it was another red flag. Nobody does things to that extent … Her grandmother comes over and (they get a) private chef,” said Jasper, adding that this took place in November to December 2021.
“It’s just too ridiculous. After that time, we started to distance ourselves because I realised something was not right.”
Alice said they did not dare to raise their suspicions because Pansuk "always says 'I can sue you'".
"And of course we didn't want to get into any trouble because we're running a business as well ... We also did not have any concrete evidence that it was really a scam," she said.
In January this year, Pansuk suggested that Jasper and Alice purchase more products from them.
Jasper said he felt then that something was "very fishy". But his doubts abated slightly when the couple told them they would be opening a physical store.
“That's when I thought I was thinking too much ... They have a shop and need to start it up, need to buy more watches – that’s what they told me – to get ready for the shop’s opening."
And so they bought more watches from the couple. They waited months and despite repeated requests, did not get the products they paid for.
Jasper and Alice made a police report on Jun 11.
Alice said she received text messages from Pansuk berating Jasper for making a police report.
“She said: 'I got a report from your husband. Very disappointed when you all know us for a while, but still like this. Anyway tell your husband, please wait until the court is done then see if he can get his money.'”
Pi was arrested on Jun 27 for his suspected involvement in cheating offences, the police said previously. His passport was impounded and he was released on bail on Jun 28, pending the completion of investigations.
Pansuk was also assisting the police with investigations and surrendered her passport to officers on Jun 30.
The couple fled Singapore on Jul 4 by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry. The lorry driver has been charged with helping them escape.
They still owe Jasper and Alice about S$180,000. At one point, the outstanding amount was S$850,000, but Pi and Pansuk paid part of this back in multiple transactions after repeated demands.
According to Jasper and Alice, when they made their police report, they were advised that this was a breach of contract and that they should engage a lawyer.
Just before Pi and Pansuk fled Singapore, Alice and Jasper tried to trace the couple’s whereabouts, but were always a step behind.
OTHER VICTIMS
Another victim CNA spoke to said his first order with Pi and Pansuk went smoothly. But he waited four months for his second order and received a watch that was not brand new, unlike what was advertised.
The victim, who wanted to be known only as Marcus, said his last purchase with Tradenation was in June when he bought two Rolex watches for his friend and for himself.
The couple told him another customer had bought more Rolexes that would be delivered in two weeks. They asked if he wanted to buy over some of the watches as that customer needed cash urgently.
Marcus bought another watch and paid them a total of S$78,000. But two weeks went by and no watches were delivered. The couple told him that the shipments were delayed, but Pi began ignoring his WhatsApp messages and refused to take his calls.
“Suddenly, they messaged me – sorry, we are under investigation now,” Marcus said.
He made a police report on Jul 1 and joined a Telegram group with more than 180 other victims who were waiting for their goods.
Some victims had already started legal proceedings against Pi and Pansuk, he said.
“There were so many victims before me, and they went as far (back) as January.”
Some of the victims were first-time buyers, who were misled by Tradenation’s legitimacy due to its physical store and its registration with the Ministry of Law, said Marcus.
Tradenation was registered as a precious stones and metals dealer. Registered dealers are regulated only for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism purposes, the ministry said previously.
Its registration has since been suspended.
First-time buyer Justine (not her real name) ordered a Rolex Submariner worth close to S$20,000 on behalf of a friend. She told CNA that purchasing the watch from an authorised dealer or a Rolex shop would have meant a wait of several years.
“We actually put our name on the (authorised dealer's waitlist), just that we need to wait for a very long time. If you want to get the watch faster, this is the only way.”
Tradenation also was selling the watch for about 10 per cent cheaper than its retail price.
“(I wanted to) get the first one and see if they can deliver ... If it was okay, we actually planned to buy some more,” said Justine.
But after she made her purchase in May, the excuses from the couple began.
First, they told her that the watch would take about two weeks to be delivered. Then they said the shipment was delayed.
“They did mention that if I wanted a refund, I can request a refund. I did not at that time because I've already waited this long and then they promised that the shipment will arrive at the end of the month,” Justine said.
At the end of May, the couple said that the watch had arrived in Singapore but was stuck in customs due to a “tax clearance issue”. It would only be delivered to her towards the end of June.
Justine’s subsequent messages to them from mid-June went unanswered. She eventually made a police report in July.
“After the incident, I explained to my friend and then we split the cost. (He was) devastated, pissed off, but cannot do anything.”
The money lost is a "significant amount" of her savings, Justine said. “I'm still hoping that we can get some back, hopefully even a small portion of the amount I would be okay – at least we have something back.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tradenation-tradeluxury-scam-couple-victims-watches-2834866
Pi Jiapeng and his siambu seen on a private jet:
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/singapore/story20220724-1295978
Luxury goods fugitives: 100% checks on outgoing vehicles will severely worsen traffic, disrupt trade flows, says ICA
SINGAPORE — Conducting checks on all outgoing vehicles from Singapore's land checkpoints will have a significant impact on trade and travel, and could also "severely worsen" the departure traffic situation, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
"While the checks may not be 100 per cent, they are not minimal or negligible in number," said the authority.
ICA was responding to TODAY's queries on Saturday (July 23) about how a couple fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury watches and bags to their buyers.
The fugitives — Singaporean Pi Jiapeng and Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa — had left the country by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry, and were assisted by a 40-year-old Malaysian man.
TODAY also asked if ICA is considering a review of its policy of not checking 100 per cent of outgoing vehicles at the border checkpoints.
In response, ICA said that Singapore's land checkpoints are one of the busiest land crossings in the world, and about 200,000 travellers depart daily prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
Any delay in clearing departure traffic during peak hours can cause traffic tailback onto the roads inland, such as the Bukit Timah Expressway for Woodlands Checkpoint and the Ayer Rajah Expressway for Tuas Checkpoint, said ICA.
It added that such delays would also disrupt trade flows between Singapore and Malaysia.
ICA said that it adopts a "risk management approach" to departure clearance screening of people, goods and conveyances and takes an "arrival-centric approach" to border security, which ICA added is a common practice internationally and done to optimise resources.
This is why the approach to departure checks changes based on Singapore's prevailing security posture, ICA said in its response.
"For example, enhanced checks will be conducted on departing conveyances in the aftermath of major security incidents to prevent the perpetrators from leaving Singapore," said ICA.
On the other hand, ICA subjects all arriving conveyances to 100 per cent checks in order to safeguard Singapore's borders "against the entry of smuggled, illegal or undesirable persons and goods, and especially security sensitive items".
This is a key priority for the authority, it said. "A more balanced approach has therefore been adopted," said ICA.
Explaining its current approach, ICA said it conducts regular and random operations on departing conveyances on a day-to-day basis. The checks include car boots, the luggage and engine compartments of buses, as well as the cabin and container compartments of lorries.
Targeted and thorough checks may also be conducted on departing traffic based on risk-profiling and information received, it said.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/fugitives-checks-worsen-traffic-trade-1951911
Posh meals, sports cars: Life of alleged masterminds of $32m luxe goods scam was all a front
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/like-royalty-victims-of-32m-luxury-goods-scam-were-taken-in-by-couples-displays-of-wealth
Latest development in luxury good scam saga: mother of Thai woman Pansuk Siriwipa has been enriching herself courtesy of daughter's ill-gotten gains!
Grandma of scammer Pansuk Siriwipa fainted upon learning arrest warrant was issued for her, implores her to give herself up:
Singaporean, Thai wife wanted by Interpol may have fled to Thailand
A Singaporean and his Thai wife who skipped bail in Singapore on charges of internet fraud involving luxury watches and bags worth hundreds of millions of baht are reported to have fled to Thailand.
Deputy police spokesman Pol Col Krisana Pattanacharoen said on Thursday that Pi Jiapeng, a Singaporean, and his Thai wife, Siriwipa Pansuk, were arrested in Singapore last month.
Singapore's CNA news channel reported that the couple were presumed to have fled Singapore by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
At least 180 complaints involving two companies, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, which were operated by the couple, have been made to police since June.
The complainants said they made advance payments for luxury watches or bags that were not delivered.
CNA reported the 26-year-old Singaporean man was arrested on June 27. He was released on bail the next day after his passport was impounded. His wife, 27, surrendered her passport on June 30. Since then, the couple could not be contacted.
Chinese daily Shin Min Daily News said the couple, also known by their aliases Kevin and Ann, had left Singapore and entered Malaysia from Tuas Checkpoint and were believed to now be in Thailand.
Pol Col Krisana said damages from the alleged fraud were estimated at the equivalent of 800 million baht.
The couple had fled after being granted bail, he confirmed, but did not say if they came to Thailand.
Interpol has issued a Red Notice, indicating arrest warrants have been issued for the couple in Singapore. However, Singapore has not contacted the Royal Thai Police for help.
The Shin Min Daily News reported that before the couple started the luxury good business, Kevin worked as shoe salesman. He met Ann through a dating app.
After they married, the couple opened two companies selling pre-ordered brand-name items to customers using the social media and websites as their trading channels. They continued their business until customers began to suspect something was amiss after the couple fell behind in delivering the goods on order.
A 37-year-old customer told the news agency he paid more than S$700,000 (18 million baht) for six Rolex and Patek Philippe watches, which they never received.
The customer had bought from the couple before, and there was no problem.
The couple told the customer there was a delay in shipment and tax procedures because of the Russian war in Ukraine and they would have to wait for three months for the issue to clear up, according to Shin Min Daily News.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2350949/singaporean-thai-wife-wanted-by-interpol-may-have-fled-to-thailand
ICA= Incompetent Customs Assholes
Couple who fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury goods listed on Interpol red notice website
SINGAPORE: A couple who fled Singapore after allegedly failing to deliver luxury watches and bags to buyers have been listed on the Interpol red notice website on Thursday (Jul 21).
Pi Jiapeng, a 26-year-old Singaporean man, and 27-year-old Pansuk Siriwipa from Thailand are wanted fugitives, according to Interpol.
The Singapore Police Force had issued arrest warrants and identified them on Wednesday. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said that the couple fled Singapore by hiding in the container compartment of a lorry.
Pi was born in Fujian, China, while Pansuk is from Roi Et, a province in central northeastern Thailand, said Interpol. The agency added that Pansuk has a height of 1.64m.
At least 180 reports involving two companies, Tradenation and Tradeluxury, have been made to the police from June to date.
While some media reports said the total value of the undelivered goods is S$32 million, CNA understands that the victims who made police reports have not received goods worth at least S$20 million as of Sunday.
The complainants said they made advance payments to the company for luxury watches or bags, but the companies did not deliver the products.
A 40-year-old Malaysian man had helped the couple leave Singapore illegally by allegedly hiding them in a lorry, ICA said in response to queries from CNA. The police have arrested the man.
WHAT IS AN INTERPOL RED NOTICE?
According to Interpol, red notices are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence.
It is a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person, pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.
Red notices are published by Interpol at the request of a member country and must comply with Interpol’s constitution and rules. A red notice is not an international arrest warrant, said Interpol.
Each member country decides what legal value it gives to a red notice and the authority of law enforcement officers to make the arrests.
There are currently about 69,000 valid red notices, of which around 7,500 are public, according to Interpol data.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/interpol-red-notice-couple-fled-singapore-luxury-goods-2826791
Our immigration and checkpoints authority jin lao kui woh!
ICA ah ICA.....
Will Shan ge's year-end bonus be affected because of this?