Yang Kaiheng is facing seven counts under the Sedition Act for using now-defunct website The Real Singapore (TRS) to “maliciously exploit racial and xenophobic faultlines.” Yang is pleading not guilty to the charges.

On the first day of his trial, details have surfaced on how Yang and his wife Ai Takagi, who is the chief editor of TRS, may have used advertising revenue from TRS to pay off a mortgage loan, according to the Deputy Public Prosecutor.

The court also heard how Google paid a total of A$473,595 in Google AdSense advertising revenue to the TRS owners. Additionally, Takagi took 11 months to pay off almost the entirety of a 30-year loan of A$195,000 (S$201,000), leaving a balance of A$5,106.

It was heard in court that Yang and Takagi were directors and shareholders of two Australian companies, both called Ryukun. Google credited money into Ryukun's account in 2014 and that money was transferred to Takagi's Commonwealth Bank of Australia bank account.

In a 2015 The New Paper article, republished on STOMP, TNP reported that an apartment bought for A$355,000 (S$379,000) in Brisbane had listed Takagi as the purchaser on the sales chit. It was also reported that the apartment was in an area with 'well-established' families.

That same article attracted a lawsuit from Yang who said the article contained certain defamatory statements.

TNP published an apology, retracted those parts of the article without informing the public and paid Yang an undisclosed amount.

Top photo by Howgene Leong

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