The man behind the biggest counterfeit chip scam ever seen in Singapore has been sentenced to seven years and four months’ jail, according to The Straits Times.
Fifty-five-year-old Toh Hock Thiam was found guilty of being behind the manufacture and distribution of 1,291 counterfeit chips, each with a face value of SG$1,000, at Marina Bay Sands in November 2015, leading to the property suffering losses of SG$1.29 million.
Although Toh was only directly responsible for 420 chips, the judge determined that, “As the counterfeit cash chips are all the same, an inference can be drawn that Toh was either involved in the manufacture and distribution of all the counterfeit cash chips or he had liaised with an unknown syndicate member who had manufactured and delivered the counterfeit cash chips to him and others involved in the scam.”
Toh was convicted last month of 13 counts of engaging in a conspiracy to exchange counterfeit casino chips for cash at Marina Bay Sands. The chips had escaped detection for a week until a cashier noticed some discoloration, The Straits Times reported.
The Casino Regulatory Authority has described the counterfeit chips as the “best quality” they have ever seen.
Mr Toh deposited SG$335,400 into his bank account on 23 November 2015 before withdrawing the money and fleeing to Malaysia where he was arrested a month later and handed over to Singapore police.
Another 13 people employed as “runners” by Toh and his associates to cash in their counterfeit chips at Marina Bay Sands have been sentenced to between five and 14 months’ jail each.
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