The former Process Technician of Shell Eastern Petroleum Private Limited (Shell) pleaded guilty to multiple charges including those under the Penal Code, and Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes Act at the State Courts of Singapore on Wednesday (28 September).
Cai Zhi Zhong first joined Shell in 2008 as a Process Technician, a position which he held up to the time of his arrest. At the time of arrest, his monthly salary was about SGD 4,000.
Mr Cai was recruited by Juandi bin Pungot and joined the conspiracy from August 2014 up till his arrest on 8 January 2018.
During the period, he allegedly assisted the syndicate in misappropriating USD 93.6 million (approximately SGD 127.7 million) worth of gasoil over 20 instances to various vessels, according to court documents obtained by Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times.
At the material time of the offences, the vessels receiving the misappropriated gasoil belonged to Vietnamese entity Prime Shipping Corporation, and Singaporean firms Sentek Marine & Trading Pte Ltd (Sentek 22 and Sentek 26) and Sirius Marine Pte Ltd (Alli and Khatim).
Mr Cai received a total of between USD 1.3 million to USD 1.6 million, of which he saved a portion and spent the rest, including on property, cars and watches.
In the course of investigations, property seized from Mr Cai includes:
Earlier coverage of developments by Manifold Times regarding the Shell MGO bunker heist can be found below:
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell blending specialist jailed over USD 956,000 worth of misappropriated gasoil
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Former Intertek, Inspectorate surveyors receive fines, jail sentences
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-CCIC Singapore surveyor pleads guilty to misconduct, receiving USD 12k in bribes
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Process Technician receives 184-month prison sentence over illicit involvement
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Syndicate member’s nephew jailed over concealment of safe containing valuables
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: 12 former surveyors from Intertek, Inspectorate, CCIC, SGS charged for corruption
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Former Shore Loading Officer receives 29-year jail sentence over total 85 charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Process Technician received minimum SGD 735,000 in benefits, faces 43 charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Ex-Shell employee admits leading role in illicit operation
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Sentek ex-Director faces 40 fresh charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Two former Shell employees jailed over theft
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: High Court affirms ‘Prime South’ forfeiture to Singapore State
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Three ex-Shell employees charged with bribing surveyors
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Second ex-Shell employee pleads guilty to nine charges
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: First ex-Shell employee to plead guilty over involvement
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Director of Singapore bunkering firm released from police custody
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Oil tanker ‘Prime South’ forfeited by State Courts of Singapore
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist: Director of Singapore bunkering firm face charge at State Courts
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: Third offender pleads guilty for gas oil theft
Related: Captain of “Prime South” jailed in Shell Pulau Bukom gas oil theft
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: Ex-Chief Officer of Prime South jailed
Related: Singapore: Shell MGO bunker heist amount balloons to USD$142 million
Related: Shell MGO bunker heist update: Fresh charges issued at Singapore court
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: More charges issued at court
Related: Shell Singapore oil heist: Breakdown of stolen oil cargoes
Related: Intertek Singapore employee among Shell oil heist suspects
Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 29 September, 2022
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