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Singapore: Hin Leong Trading Founder found guilty of cheating and instigating forgery charges

After over 60 days of trial, Lim was convicted on three charges concerning two fraudulent discounting applications made by Hin Leong to HSBC, pursuant to which HSBC disbursed USD 111,683,939 to Hin Leong.

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Singapore Police Force on Friday (10 May) said the Founder of Hin Leong Trading, Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, was convicted on two charges of cheating and one charge of instigating forgery for the purpose of cheating after a trial of over 60 days.

The 82-year-old was first charged in court on 14 August 2020, and was subsequently handed further charges in court on 25 September 2020, 30 April 2021 and 24 June 2021 for his role in perpetuating fraud on various financial institutions. 

A total of 130 charges were eventually brought against him for cheating and forgery-related offences, and Lim claimed trial to these charges.

The trial proceeded on three charges:

  • Two charges of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, and,
  • One charge of instigating forgery for the purpose of cheating under Section 468 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code.

These three charges concern two fraudulent discounting applications made by Hin Leong to the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), pursuant to which HSBC disbursed a total of USD 111,683,939 to Hin Leong. The rest of the charges were stood down pending resolution of the trial.

The court found that Lim had, through Hin Leong employees, cheated HSBC by representing to the bank that Hin Leong had entered into two contracts for the sale of oil, with China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation Ltd and Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd respectively, and then applying for discounting of those purported transactions. In fact, the two transactions were complete fabrications, concocted on Lim’s directions, and the discounting applications were supported by forged or fabricated documentation.

Lim will be sentenced on 3 October. He faces imprisonment of up to 10 years and shall also be liable to a fine for each charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code and Section 468 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code.

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

Related: Singapore: Lawyers of OK Lim and daughter accuse former PA of lying in her testimony
Related: Former PA to Hin Leong Trading Founder refutes OK Lim’s claim on his role in firm
Related: Founder OK Lim grilled by prosecutors on his involvement at Hin Leong Trading
Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Trading Founder testifies for the first time in his own defence
Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Trading Founder to testify in USD 111.7 mil cheating, forgery case
Related: Singapore: O.K. Lim, children faces liquidators and HSBC in USD 3.5 bil civil lawsuit
Related: Former PA to Hin Leong Trading Founder found lying in CAD investigations
Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Trading Founder goes to trial for cheating, forgery charges
Related: Hin Leong Trading Founder faces additional 105 cheating, forgery charges in court
Related: Ocean Tankers judicial managers progressing to liquidate firm after expiry of court order
Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Trading Director charged with obstructing course of justice
Related: Court of Appeal: Hin Leong, Lim family claim ‘without any factual or legal basis’
Related: Singapore: High Court dismisses UniCredit Bank USD 37 million claim against Glencore over Hin Leong transaction
Related: Singapore: Hin Leong takes Deloitte to court over alleged auditing failures
Related: Hin Leong Trading Founder OK Lim facing 23 new forgery-related charges at State Courts
Related: Application to wind up Hin Leong Trading subsidiary, Hin Leong Marine approved
Related: Singapore High Court approves Hin Leong Trading wind up order application
Related: Hin Leong Trading liquidates a third of its fleet to recover USD 3.5 billion debt
Related: Lim family aims to wind up Hin Leong Trading subsidiary, Hin Leong Marine
Related: Judicial Managers of Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd file for winding up order
Related: Hin Leong judicial managers to hold meeting of creditors to discuss fees incurred
Related: Lim family files application to wind up Hin Leong Trading subsidiary, Hin Leong Marine
Related: First creditors meeting of Ocean Tankers to be held in early January 2021
Related: Bank of China takes legal action against BP Plc and Lim family to recover $312.9 million
Related: OBS to wind up operations; creditor list alleges estimated USD 42 million debt
Related: Ocean Tankers publishes notice for creditors to prove any debts or claims for publication
Related: Hin Leong Trading founder denies allegations of forgery put forward by HSBC
Related: Singapore: Xihe Holdings and subsidiaries to be placed under judicial management
Related: HSBC takes Lim family and Hin Leong employee to court to recover USD 85.3 million
Related: Da An Shipping Pte Ltd passes winding-up resolution and publishes notice to creditors
Related: Xihe Capital and subsidiaries, Nan Guang Maritime to undergo voluntary liquidation
Related: MPA: Ocean Bunkering Services licenses suspended ‘until further notice’ and not revoked
Related: Ocean Bunkering Services bunker claims against ASL Marine & Offshore heads to arbitration
Related: Ocean Tankers to return most ships to owners to reduce $540,000 a day cash burn
Related: Singapore: Ocean Bunkering Services license suspended until further notice
Related: PwC publishes ‘investment opportunity’ for Singapore independent bunker fuel supplier
Related: Hin Leong founder O.K. Lim hit with second charge of abatement in forgery
Related: Hin Leong judicial managers and legal firms could rack up SGD 17.3 million in fees
Related: Winson Group wins ICC backing in dispute against banks over credit for Hin Leong Trading
Related: O.K. Lim and two children sued for USD 3.5billion; receiver appointed for 3 Xihe ships
Related: Managers of Ocean Tankers looking to recover USD 19 million from Lim family
Related: Argus Media: Singapore’s Hin Leong founder charged with forgery
Related: Xihe Holdings placed under IJM as OCBC reverses decision for ‘consensual restructuring’
Related: Xihe replaces Directors, forms new management team to chart fresh course for Group
Related: Hin Leong Trading lawyers publish application to fulfill requirements for hearing to proceed
Related: Ocean Tankers legal team publishes application to be placed under judicial management
Related: Judicial management applications for Hin Leong Trading and Ocean Tankers delayed
Related: Lim family to inhibit law firm Rajah & Tann from representing troubled HLT & OTPL
Related: OCBC files for Xihe Holdings to be placed under judicial management
Related: Judicial managers of Ocean Tankers discover discrepancies and fraud in exposure claims
Related: Judicial managers of Ocean Tankers to present restructuring proposals to owners
Related: PwC probes uncover mass grave of financial skeletons and alleged fraud within HLT
Related: Winson Group seeks SGD 30.4 million from Standard Chartered over HLT related trade
Related: Winson Group seeks SGD 30.4 million from OCBC over credit pull in Hin Leong trade
Related: Ocean 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
Related: Singapore: Ocean Tankers, a separate entity of Hin Leong, seeking judicial management
Related: Singapore High Court concedes interim judicial management to Hin Leong Trading
Related: Sembcorp commences legal proceedings against Hin Leong Trading over gasoil cargo
Related: Sembcorp Cogen aborts gasoil supply and storage contract with Hin Leong Trading
Related: Report: Sinopec expresses interest in Hin Leong Trading stake of Universal Terminal
Related: Report: Hin Leong Trading appoints PwC as interim judicial manager
Related: Singapore’s Police Force commence investigations into Hin Leong Trading
Related: Report: Hin Leong Trading founder gave instructions to hide USD 800 million losses
Related: Singapore: Ocean Bunkering Services to discontinue marine fuel deliveries
Related: Hin Leong in debt restructuring exercise; Ocean Tankers a separate entity, says CEO
Related: Report: Hin Leong Trading finances under scrutiny, amid credit pull from two banks

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 13 May 2024

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Winding up

Singapore: Annual general meetings scheduled for Xihe Holdings subsidiaries

Annual general meetings will be held from 1 to 2 September for An Hui Shipping, Nan Chiau Maritime and Nan Yi Maritime to receive updates on firms’ liquidation, according to notices.

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Several notices were published on the Government Gazette on Friday (14 August) regarding the annual general meetings to be held from 1 to 2 September for Xihe Holdings subsidiaries An Hui Shipping Pte Ltd, Nan Chiau Maritime and Nan Yi Maritime Pte Ltd. 

Annual general meetings for An Hui Shipping are to be held on 1 September at the following times:

  • For the company and creditors: 3pm

Annual general meeting for Nan Chiau Maritime is to be held on 1 September at the following time:

  • For the company and creditors: 2pm

Annual general meeting for Nan Yi Maritime is to be held on 2 September at the following time:

  • For the company and creditors: 2pm

The agenda for all the meetings are:

  • To receive an update on the liquidation.
  • To receive an account of the Liquidators’ acts and dealings, and of the conduct of the winding up.

The following are the details of the liquidator:

Ho May Kee
Liquidator
c/o 8 Marina View
#40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1
Singapore 018960

 

Photo credit: Benjamin Child
Published: 17 August, 2026

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Legal

Singapore police arrest eight over alleged illegal MGO transaction off Tuas

SPF says preliminary investigations found that crew members of a Singapore-registered tugboat misappropriated MGO worth about SGD 10,570 without their company’s knowledge and sold it illegally.

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Singapore police arrest eight over alleged illegal MGO transaction off Tuas

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Thursday (13 August) said it has arrested eight men, aged between 25 and 54, for their suspected involvement in an illegal transaction of Marine Gas Oil (MGO).

On 13 August 2026 at about 1.05am, officers from the Police Coast Guard (PCG) conducted a check on a Singapore-registered tugboat in the waters off Tuas and discovered that eight crew members were possibly involved in the illegal transaction of MGO. 

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the crew members of the tugboats misappropriated MGO valued at about SGD 10,570 (USD 8,258), without their company’s knowledge,” SPF said in a statement.

“The MGO was sold illegally for their personal financial gain.”

The eight crew members will be charged in court on 14 August 2026 with the offence of theft by servant of property in possession of master under Section 381 of the Penal Code 1871 If convicted, they shall be punished with an imprisonment term that may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine.

“The Police take a serious view of illegal transaction of MGO in Singapore Territorial Waters and will continue to conduct enforcement and security checks to prevent, deter and detect such illicit activities in Singapore waters,” SPF added. 

 

Photo credit: Singapore Police Force
Published: 14 August, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Liquidators of East Marine Pte Ltd issues notice of annual meeting

Annual meeting of the company and its creditors will be held at 8 Wilkie Road, #03-08 Wilkie Edge, Singapore 228095 via audio-visual conference on 20 August at 11am.

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A notice of annual meeting was issued by liquidators of East Marine Pte Ltd, which is in creditor’s voluntary liquidation, on the Government Gazette on Friday (7 August). 

According to the notice, the annual meeting of the company and its creditors will be held at 8 Wilkie Road, #03-08 Wilkie Edge, Singapore 228095 via audio-visual conference on 20 August at 11am.  

The purpose of the meeting is to have an account laid before the meeting showing the acts and dealings of the liquidators and the conduct of the winding up in the preceding year.

The following are the details of the liquidators:

Ng Kian Kiat
Yap Hui Li
Liquidators
c/o 8 Wilkie Road
#03-08 Wilkie Edge
Singapore 228095

 

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 12 August, 2026

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