S'pore police investigating case of American man who rented landed homes using shell companies & not moving out

The police are investigating after a man used shell companies to rent three landed homes in Singapore for him and his family, but did not pay rent.

Authorities looking into possible offences

Senior Minister of State for Law Murali Pillai said in Parliament on Nov. 4 that a penalty of up to 10 years' jail, and a fine or caning, or both, could be meted out for the offence of cheating.

He said he could not say more due to ongoing investigations, but the authorities are looking into "possible fraudulent trading and wrongful trading offences", as well as "potential breaches of the Companies Act".

Using companies to rent property

Mothership reported on Oct. 9, 2026 the case of Anthony Thomas Price, an American and a director and shareholder of Noranth Ventures, who had used the company and a wholly owned subsidiary to a semi-detached house in Lengkong Dua in Kembangan.

He had used Noranth Ventures, a company with S$200 in paid-up capital, to rent the home.

The owners of the property are an elderly couple in their 80s.

Did not pay rent

The rent was S$7,500 per month.

Price stopped paying rent after moving in.

He had paid half the deposit and only one month’s rent in May 2026.

Murali was asked in parliament about tenants who stop paying rent and refuse to move out, as well as stronger protection for landlords.

Used legal processes to avoid moving out

Price had rented homes from different landlords between 2019 and 2026.

He then used legal processes to avoid moving out and filed a court application to stop the landlords from repossessing the property.

District Judge Chiah Kok Khun dismissed the application.

In a written judgment on Oct. 7, the judge ruled that Price's actions were a “plain abuse of process of the court”.

The landlords’ counterclaims were allowed.

They were for the recovery of the property, unpaid rent with interest and other outstanding sums.

The district judge noted two previous tenancy disputes over landed homes involving Price and his companies.