SINGAPORE - More than a year after they were first charged, the couple allegedly involved in a luxury goods scam involving $32 million worth of undelivered items were handed more charges on Thursday (Oct 5).
Thai national Pansuk Siriwipa, 28, was given 166 new cheating charges and two more charges for fraudulent trading.
She now faces a total of 172 charges, including a charge of leaving Singapore after surrendering her travel documents.
Her husband, Singaporean Pi Jiapeng, 28, was handed two new charges on Thursday, including one for failure to use reasonable diligence as a director.
His other charge involved him allegedly taking orders for luxury watches and collecting payments amounting to more than $24.7 million from customers of his company Tradenation between March and June 2022 when he knew it could not fulfil the orders given its financial state.
Pi now faces seven charges overall, including one count of failing to be available for investigations by not reporting for bail, and another count of refusing to sign a statement he made.
The couple made headlines in July 2022 after at least 180 police reports were lodged against their businesses, Tradenation and Tradeluxury.
The couple's clients had made advance payments to them for luxury watches or luxury bags, but they allegedly failed to deliver the goods. Items included Rolex and Patek Philippe watches and Hermes bags.
Police reports were made and Pi was arrested on June 27, 2022, for his suspected involvement in cheating offences. His passport had been impounded, and he was released on bail the next day.
Pansuk was not arrested then but was assisting with police investigations. She had surrendered her passport on June 30.
The couple became uncontactable and fled Singapore in a container compartment of a lorry on July 4.
Warrants of arrest and Interpol red notices were issued against them.
The Singapore Police Force had said they received information on Aug 10 from the Royal Thai Police the couple might be staying at a hotel in Johor Bahru.
Pansuk Siriwipa (far right) was given 168 new charges while her husband, Pi Jiapeng (far left) was handed two new charges. PHOTO: The Straits Times
The next day, they were arrested at the hotel after more than a month on the run.
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On Aug 12, they were each handed three charges - two for cheating and one charge of leaving Singapore illegally.
They were denied bail that month after a judge agreed with the prosecution that they were flight risks.
Their cases have been set for a pre-trial conference on Oct 11.
In September last year, two Malaysian men were each sentenced to a year's jail for helping the couple flee Singapore.
They pleaded guilty to offences under the Immigration Act.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.