Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg
Singaporean businessman Nelson Loh Ne-Loon, 43, was caught in China and sent back to Singapore on Dec. 24 to be charged with forgery.
Loh was a Novena Global Healthcare Group (NGHG) director and its related companies. He was also the head of Bellagraph Nova (BN) Group with his cousin Terence Loh and their Chinese business partner, Evangeline Shen.
Caught with him was his 43-year-old Singaporean employee, Wong Soon Yuh. According to a statement by Singapore Police Force (SPF), Wong was an employee of NHGH and worked closely with Loh.
Both men were arrested on the same day.
On Monday, Dec. 26, Loh and Wong were charged with two counts of forgery, SPF said.
Tried to buy Newcastle United
Loh made news back in Aug. 2020 when BN Group attempted to buy English Premiere League club Newcastle United.
However, a deal never materialised from it. Newcastle United is now owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Following this, edited photos featuring BN Group and former U.S. President Barack Obama surfaced, and the company admitted that the image used for marketing purposes was edited.
Terence resigned from BN Group in Oct. 2020.
Left the country
Loh and Wong left Singapore in early September 2020, SPF said.
Days after their departure, the Police received a report that signatures of accounting firm Ernst & Young had been forged on some of NHGH's financial statements.
The pair allegedly forged audited financial statements of NGHG in 2019 and used those statements to obtain bank loans amounting to S$18 million.
Charged with forgery
Subsequently, warrants for their arrests and Interpol Red Notices were issued against them.
"With the cooperation and assistance of our foreign counters in the People's Republic of China, the two men returned to Singapore on Dec. 24, 2022, and were arrested by the Commercial Affairs Department on the same day".
Loh and Wong were charged with two counts of forgery offences on Dec. 26, 2022. If found guilty, they can be jailed for up to 10 years and a fine.
Director of Commercial Affairs Department, David Chew, said: "The Police will do whatever is necessary and legally permissible to detain and repatriate individuals hiding overseas, to face justice in Singapore."
"We appreciate the support and cooperation rendered by the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China in bringing these two individuals back to Singapore."
Further investigations are ongoing.
Top photo from BN Group.