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Hin Leong Trading Founder faces additional 105 cheating, forgery charges in court

Lim Oon Kuin now faces a total of 130 charges; bail amount has been increased to S$4 million due to increased amount of players and outstanding sums.

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The founder of Hin Leong Trading (Pte) Ltd (Hin Leong), was charged in court on 24 June with an additional 105 charges for the offences of cheating, abetment of forgery of a valuable security, and abetment of forgery, according to the Singapore Police Force.

35 of these charges relate to Lim Oon Kuin allegedly deceiving eight financial institutions into providing accounts receivable financing, amounting to about US$1.2 billion, to Hin Leong on the basis that Hin Leong had loaded oil onto particular vessels pursuant to contracts for the sale of oil by Hin Leong to BP Singapore Pte Ltd (BP) and Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd. About US$55 million remains outstanding from Hin Leong to a financial institution in relation to one of these charges.

A further 33 charges relate to Lim Oon Kuin allegedly deceiving nine financial institutions into providing letters of credit (“LCs”) and making payment, amounting to about US$1 billion, on the LCs by falsely representing that there would be cargo underlying contracts for the purchase of oil by Hin Leong from BP. About US$180 million remains outstanding from Hin Leong to four financial institutions in relation to six of these charges.

One charge relates to Lim Oon Kuin allegedly conspiring with a Hin Leong employee to commit forgery of a valuable security, by making a falsified bill of lading, which falsely represented that 501,350.875 U.S. Barrels of Gasoil had been loaded onto the MT Chang Bai San on 13 March 2020.

The remaining 36 charges relate to Lim Oon Kuin allegedly conspiring with a Hin Leong employee to commit forgery, by procuring 36 falsified Certificates of Quality from Amspec Testing Services Pte Ltd, which falsely represented that samples of oil had been collected and tested. These Certificates of Quality were then allegedly sent by Hin Leong to BP to make it appear that independent testing had been carried out to certify the quality of oil that was allegedly sold by Hin Leong to BP.

With these 105 charges, Lim Oon Kuin now faces a total of 130 charges – 68 counts of cheating, one count of abetment of forgery of a valuable security, 14 counts of abetment of forgery for the purpose of cheating, and 47 counts of abetment of forgery.

Lim Oon Kuin’s bail amount has been increased to S$4 million, because the new charges involve more financial institutions, larger sums disbursed, and large sums outstanding.

The offences of cheating and abetment of forgery for the purpose of cheating, punishable under Section 420 and Section 468 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code respectively, carry an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine. The offence of abetment of forgery of a valuable security, punishable under Section 467 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, carries an imprisonment term of up to 15 years and a fine. The offence of abetment of forgery, punishable under Section 465 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, carries an imprisonment term of up to four years, a fine, or both.

Manifold Times earlier reported Lim being issued 23 new forgery-related charges, namely 12 counts of abetment of forgery for the purpose of cheating and 11 counts of forgery, at the State Courts of Singapore in late April.

An extensive coverage by Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times regarding the fall of Hin Leong can be found below:

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong takes Deloitte to court over alleged auditing failures
RelatedHin Leong Trading Founder OK Lim facing 23 new forgery-related charges at State Courts
RelatedApplication to wind up Hin Leong Trading subsidiary, Hin Leong Marine approved
RelatedSingapore High Court approves Hin Leong Trading wind up order application
RelatedHin Leong Trading liquidates a third of its fleet to recover USD 3.5 billion debt
RelatedLim family aims to wind up Hin Leong Trading subsidiary, Hin Leong Marine
RelatedJudicial Managers of Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd file for winding up order
RelatedHin Leong judicial managers to hold meeting of creditors to discuss fees incurred
RelatedLim family files application to wind up Hin Leong Trading subsidiary, Hin Leong Marine
RelatedFirst creditors meeting of Ocean Tankers to be held in early January 2021
RelatedBank of China takes legal action against BP Plc and Lim family to recover $312.9 million
RelatedOBS to wind up operations; creditor list alleges estimated USD 42 million debt
RelatedOcean Tankers publishes notice for creditors to prove any debts or claims for publication
RelatedHin Leong Trading founder denies allegations of forgery put forward by HSBC
RelatedSingapore: Xihe Holdings and subsidiaries to be placed under judicial management
RelatedHSBC takes Lim family and Hin Leong employee to court to recover USD 85.3 million
RelatedDa An Shipping Pte Ltd passes winding-up resolution and publishes notice to creditors
RelatedXihe Capital and subsidiaries, Nan Guang Maritime to undergo voluntary liquidation
RelatedMPA: Ocean Bunkering Services licenses suspended ‘until further notice’ and not revoked
RelatedOcean Bunkering Services bunker claims against ASL Marine & Offshore heads to arbitration
RelatedOcean Tankers to return most ships to owners to reduce $540,000 a day cash burn
RelatedSingapore: Ocean Bunkering Services license suspended until further notice
RelatedPwC publishes ‘investment opportunity’ for Singapore independent bunker fuel supplier
RelatedHin Leong founder O.K. Lim hit with second charge of abatement in forgery
RelatedHin Leong judicial managers and legal firms could rack up SGD 17.3 million in fees
RelatedWinson Group wins ICC backing in dispute against banks over credit for Hin Leong Trading
RelatedO.K. Lim and two children sued for USD 3.5billion; receiver appointed for 3 Xihe ships
RelatedManagers of Ocean Tankers looking to recover USD 19 million from Lim family
RelatedArgus Media: Singapore’s Hin Leong founder charged with forgery
RelatedXihe Holdings placed under IJM as OCBC reverses decision for ‘consensual restructuring’
RelatedXihe replaces Directors, forms new management team to chart fresh course for Group
RelatedHin Leong Trading lawyers publish application to fulfill requirements for hearing to proceed
RelatedOcean Tankers legal team publishes application to be placed under judicial management
RelatedJudicial management applications for Hin Leong Trading and Ocean Tankers delayed
RelatedLim family to inhibit law firm Rajah & Tann from representing troubled HLT & OTPL
RelatedOCBC files for Xihe Holdings to be placed under judicial management
RelatedJudicial managers of Ocean Tankers discover discrepancies and fraud in exposure claims
RelatedJudicial managers of Ocean Tankers to present restructuring proposals to owners
RelatedPwC probes uncover mass grave of financial skeletons and alleged fraud within HLT
RelatedWinson Group seeks SGD 30.4 million from Standard Chartered over HLT related trade
RelatedWinson Group seeks SGD 30.4 million from OCBC over credit pull in Hin Leong trade
RelatedOcean Tankers: Notice to prove debt or claim published by interim judicial managers
Related‘Reasonable prospects’ to keep Ocean Tankers as a going concern, states Director
RelatedSingapore: Ocean Tankers, a separate entity of Hin Leong, seeking judicial management
RelatedSingapore High Court concedes interim judicial management to Hin Leong Trading
RelatedSembcorp commences legal proceedings against Hin Leong Trading over gasoil cargo
RelatedSembcorp Cogen aborts gasoil supply and storage contract with Hin Leong Trading
RelatedReport: Sinopec expresses interest in Hin Leong Trading stake of Universal Terminal
RelatedReport: Hin Leong Trading appoints PwC as interim judicial manager
RelatedSingapore’s Police Force commence investigations into Hin Leong Trading
RelatedReport: Hin Leong Trading founder gave instructions to hide USD 800 million losses
RelatedSingapore: Ocean Bunkering Services to discontinue marine fuel deliveries
RelatedHin Leong in debt restructuring exercise; Ocean Tankers a separate entity, says CEO
RelatedReport: Hin Leong Trading finances under scrutiny, amid credit pull from two banks

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 25 June, 2021

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Bunker Fuel

Singapore: Bunker sales volume raises to year record high of 4.88 million mt in May

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil jumped 671.7% to 40,900 mt when compared to figures seen in May 2024.

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SG bunker performance May 2025

Bunker fuel sales at Singapore port inched forward by 1.1% on year in May 2025, the highest volume seen in 2025, according to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) data.

In total, 4.88 million metric tonnes (mt) (exact 4,878,100 mt) of various marine fuel grades were delivered at the world’s largest bunkering port in April, up from 4.83 million mt (4,826,800 mt) recorded during the similar month in 2024.

Deliveries of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May (against on year) recorded respectively 1.89 million mt (+8.6% from 1.74 million mt), 2.45 million mt (-7.2% from 2.64 million mt), 1,200 mt (from zero), 1,700 mt (-88% from 14,300 mt) and zero (from zero).

SG bunker port performance May 2025

Bio-blended variants of marine fuel oil, low sulphur fuel oil, ultra low sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in May (against on year) recorded respectively 40,900 mt (+671.7% from 5,300 mt), 95,800 mt (+97.9% from 48,400 mt), 700 mt (from zero), zero (from zero) and zero (from 300 mt). B100 biofuel bunkers, introduced in February this year, recorded 1,900 mt of deliveries in May.

LNG and methanol sales were respectively 45,000 mt (-7.8% from 48,800) and zero (from 1,600 mt). There were no recorded sales of ammonia for the month and so far in 2025.

Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 4% on year in April 2025
RelatedSingapore: Bunker fuel sales increase by 0.5% on year in March 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 8.1% on year in February 2025
Related: Singapore: Bunker fuel sales down by 9.1% on year in January 2025

A complete series of articles on Singapore bunker volumes reported by Manifold Times tracked since 2018 can be found via the link here.

 

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 16 June 2025

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Winding up

Singapore: DBS Bank submits court winding up application against AMS Marine

Bank is a creditor AMS Marine, part of the AMS Marine Group compromising of a sister firm in Malaysia.

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RESIZED singapore high court

DBS Bank on 6 June submitted a winding up application to the High Court of the Republic of Singapore against Singapore-based AMS Marine Pte Ltd, according to a Government Gazette post on Friday (13 June).

The bank is a creditor AMS Marine, part of the AMS Marine Group compromising of a sister firm in Malaysia offering a full suite of engineering services encompassing piping, steelworks, and afloat repair to oil & gas vessels.

The winding up application is directed to be heard before the Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court of the Republic of Singapore at 10.00 a.m. on 4 July 2025.

Any creditor or contributory of AMS Marine desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the winding up application may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose.

A copy of the winding up application will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of AMS Marine requiring the copy of the winding up application by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Claimant’s address is 12 Marina Boulevard, Marina Bay Financial Centre Singapore 018982. The Claimant’s solicitors are Shook Lin & Bok LLP of 1 Robinson Road #18-00, AIA Tower, Singapore 048542.

Note: Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the winding up application must serve on or send by post to the Claimant’s solicitors, notice in writing of his intention to do so. The notice must state the name and address of the person, or if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person, firm, or his or their solicitor (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed not later than 30 June 2025 (at least 3 clear working days before the day appointed for the hearing of the winding up application).

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 16 June 2025

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Bunker Fuel

Panama bunker sales volume up 13.9% on year to 453,397 mt in May 2025

Total bunker sales at Panama was 453,397 metric tonnes (mt) in May 2025, compared to sales of 398,964 mt during the similar period in 2024.

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RESIZED Panama

Bunker fuel sales at Panama increased by 13.9% in May 2025, according to the latest data from La Autoridad Maritima de Panama, also known as the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA).

Total bunker sales at Panama was 453,397 metric tonnes (mt) in May 2025, compared to sales of 398,964 mt during the similar period in 2024.

In May 2025, the Pacific side of Panama posted bunker sales of 368,419 mt; 213,589 mt of VLSFO, 117,297 mt of RMG 380, 1,538 of marine gas oil (MGO), and 35,995 mt of low sulphur marine gas oil (LSMGO) were delivered.

The similar region saw total marine sales of 323,084 mt a year before in May; with VLSFO sales at 184,761 mt, RMG 380 sales at 112,011 mt, MGO sales at 2,199 mt, and 24,113 mt of LSMGO being sold.

Panama’s Atlantic side, meanwhile, recorded total bunker fuel sales of 84,978 during May 2025; the figure comprised 63,318 mt of VLSFO, 8,575 mt of RMG 380, 1,987 mt of MGO, and 11,098 mt of LSMGO.

It saw total sales of 74,980 mt in May a year before; with VLSFO sales of 59,855 mt, RMG 380 sales of 6,508 mt, 1,545 mt of MGO, and LSMGO sales of 7,072 mt.

 

Photo credit: George Keel
Published: 16 June 2025

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