An ex-grassroots leader from Sembawang GRC has been charged with 152 offences involving the cheating of S$1.4 million.

He is accused of forgery by using the name of Ong Ye Kung, a Member of Parliament of the constituency and Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) and Second Minister for Defence Minister.

The accused, Reichie Chng Teck Kiam, 51, was first charged in court on July 4, 2017.

On Sept. 11, the court added more than 100 charges.

Mothership.sg understands that Ong made a police report on March 22 this year.

152 court charges

Chng, who is now a GrabCar driver, is accused of a total of 152 charges, including:

• 94 counts of committing forgery for the purpose of cheating;
• 35 counts of cheating;
• 22 counts of converting the benefits of his criminal conduct; and
• 1 count of obtaining a personal loan when he was an undischarged bankrupt.

He allegedly cheated 12 people between November 2012 and March this year, with sums between S$2,000 and S$250,000 each.

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Name forgery

On Aug. 31 last year, Chng allegedly made a false electronic record.

He allegedly created the record of a WhatsApp conversation screenshot purportedly carried out between him and Ong on an investment scheme that Ong was supposedly participating in, with the intention to mislead his victims into believing Ong made it.

With this, he cheated one Tan Boon Hai into consenting that Chng retain some property.

Tan was reportedly one of the biggest victims, as he had been cheated of a total of S$900,000. He was also once cheated of S$250,000 in June 2016.

Chng allegedly also targeted the same victim using a similar method three months later.

Other charges

On top these charges, Chng was also accused of converting the benefits of his criminal conduct into casino chips from Marina Bay Sands Casino.

He also allegedly obtained a personal loan from one Chua Boon Joon on Sept. 12, 2013, without informing him that he was an undischarged bankrupt.

The court heard that Chng was a bankrupt between Aug. 26, 1994, and Jul. 3, 2015.

Ong: Shocking and unconscionable act

In response to Mothership.sg queries, Ong said:

"Reichie Chng was a grassroots volunteer in my constituency. When I discovered that he has been using my wife's and my name, and forging SMSs purportedly from me to borrow and solicit money, I reported the matter to the police immediately.

This is a shocking and unconscionable act - it must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

I want to assure residents that my volunteers and I are committed to continue to serve them to the best of our abilities."

Restitution

According to court documents, Chng has made a restitution of S$51,680.

He was offered bail of S$40,000.

Chng, who is represented by lawyer T.M. Sinnadurai, will be back in court on Oct. 11.

If convicted of cheating, he may be jailed up to 10 years and fined for each charge.

If convicted of forgery for the purpose of cheating, he may also be jailed for up to 10 years and fined for each charge.

Top image via Reichie Chng Teck Kiam's Facebook