Kho Bin Kai, the former son-in-law of billionaire Peter Lim, has been handed a prison sentence after pleading guilty to multiple offenses related to his association with a syndicate involved in illegal gambling activities.
On Tuesday, Kho, 32, was sentenced to two years and 10 months' imprisonment, along with a fine of $40,000. He admitted to three charges under the Remote Gambling Act and two counts of dealing with proceeds from criminal activities.
Kho, a Singaporean, was previously married to Kim Lim, daughter of Peter Lim and a well-known socialite in Singapore, for three years before their divorce in 2020. Kho's involvement in illegal gambling included association with multiple illicit gambling websites, where he earned an average monthly income of $30,000 to $40,000 from one website alone.
Using a portion of his ill-gotten gains, Kho purchased an Audemars Piguet watch worth $32,000. Additionally, he used $5,000 from the proceeds of his criminal activities to make a partial payment for a Rolex watch valued at $21,000.
According to Kho's defense lawyers, among his offenses, he managed remote gambling operations on two websites and assisted in the conduct of remote gambling on a third platform.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Lydia Goh revealed to the court that Kho's involvement in illegal gambling began in 2012 when he became an agent for illegal soccer betting, earning a monthly income of $2,000 to $5,000.
In mid-2016, Kho was introduced to an individual known as "Ah Leong" from Malaysia. He subsequently joined Ah Leong in his 4-D and Toto business.
Kho ceased his involvement in soccer betting in early 2017 and transitioned to becoming a "master agent" for an illegal gambling website in April of the same year. His average monthly earnings in this role ranged between $30,000 and $40,000. However, there were periods when his income dipped below $30,000 or even ceased entirely.
Aside from his role as a master agent, Kho engaged in activities related to other gambling websites and profited from illegal operations. For one of the websites, he earned between $3,000 and $4,000 per month, while for another, his monthly earnings ranged between $2,000 and $3,000.
Kho's offenses were uncovered during a police raid on his residence on July 28, 2019, leading to his arrest. The raid was part of an islandwide operation that resulted in the apprehension of 35 other individuals involved in an unlawful remote gambling syndicate. During the raid, law enforcement seized several items from Kho, including four Rolex watches, a laptop computer, and two mobile phones.
Kho was represented by lawyers Sunil Sudheesan, Joyce Khoo, and Chow Ee Ning from Quahe Woo & Palmer. In their plea for mitigation, they emphasized their client's sincere rehabilitation efforts and his commitment to never engaging in remote gambling again. The defense team also highlighted that this was Kho's first encounter with the law.
On Tuesday, Kho's bail was set at $50,000, and he is expected to surrender himself at the State Courts on May 23.
Have a story? Send to us here sgtelltale@outlook.com
Comments