4 charged over cheating case allegedly involving rented house being used as private club (2025)

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean man and three foreigners were each handed a cheating charge on April 1 after they allegedly worked together to cheat the landlord of a landed property in Victoria Park Road near Coronation Road.

Some time on or around March 14, 2024, Wu Pengfei, 35, who was handed one charge, allegedly signed a tenancy agreement linked to the house.

In a statement on March 31, the police said: “(The four people)... allegedly conspired to cheat the landlord... by misrepresenting the main tenant in the tenancy agreement, and falsely claiming that the unit would be used for residential purposes, when it was intended for use as a private recreational club.”

Wu’s alleged accomplices are Malaysian Koh Hui Ming, 35, Chinese national Su Zhentan, 40, and Cambodian national Su Wenhui, 44.

All four allegedly committed cheating with one Wu Guojing, who was not charged in court on April 1.

Details about Wu Guojing and the activities at the clubhouse were not disclosed in court documents.

Su Wenhui was handed three charges, the most among the four people.

He is accused of one count each of cheating, working at the clubhouse without a valid work pass and moving different currencies worth over $22,000 out of Singapore – more than the prescribed limit of $20,000 – without giving a full report to the authorities.

On April 1, Koh, the sole woman and a Singapore permanent resident, and Su Zhentan were each handed two charges.

Koh is accused of cheating and dealing with the benefits of criminal conduct. Su Zhentan is accused of one count each of cheating and working at the clubhouse without a valid work pass.

In their statement, the police said the four alleged offenders were among 11 people who were arrested during raids on May 18, 2024.

Officers then seized items including over $88,000 in cash and two motor vehicles with a combined value of more than $1 million.

Without revealing details, the police said the remaining seven people – two Singaporeans, four Chinese nationals who were work permit holders, and a Cambodian national – were investigated for offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and Gambling Control Act.

According to court documents, Su Wenhui was at Changi Airport Terminal 2 on Aug 17, 2023, when he allegedly moved out of Singapore different currencies worth more than $22,000 in total.

On or around March 14, 2024, the four accused and Wu Guojing allegedly worked together to cheat the landlord linked to the Victoria Park Road property.

Su Wenhui and Su Zhentan were allegedly employed by Wu Guojing at the clubhouse between April and May that year.

The two foreigners are accused of working there without valid work passes.

Court documents stated that Su Wenhui was said to be working as a manager, while Su Zhentan was allegedly employed as a chef.

Separately, Koh allegedly used the benefits of criminal conduct totalling $26,000 to pay for the deposit for a condominium unit in Pasir Ris Grove on Aug 5, 2024.

The cases involving all four people have been adjourned to April 28.

Shaffiq Alkhatib is The Straits Times’ court correspondent, covering mainly criminal cases heard at the State Courts.