3 men charged with cheating NUS

SINGAPORE – Three men are facing multiple charges over an alleged conspiracy to cheat the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Liaw Jinle, 33, then a laboratory executive at the university, is said to have made a deal to split the profits from contract jobs with companies that Gan Yee Aun, 34, and Sandy Tan Wei Jie, 33, ran.

All three were present before a district court on Friday (July 16) when they were charged with cheating and corruption. Liaw faces 11 charges, Gan seven, and Tan four.

At the time of the alleged ruse, Liaw was the laboratory executive with the Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, while Gan was the director of HOH Multitrade and Laco Management, and sole proprietor of Ian OTM Services and GW Ways Enterprise.

Tan was the sole proprietor of WJK Tan Trading and Infinity Dynamic Consultancy and Services.

Between November 2017 and February last year, Gan’s companies were allegedly awarded 72 jobs for the supply of laboratory goods and services totalling about $196,500, some of which were short-supplied or not supplied at all.

Similarly, Liaw allegedly assisted Tan’s companies to obtain 40 jobs with the Centre for the supply of laboratory goods and services which totalled about $136,700 from March 2019 to December 2019. Some of these goods and services were short-supplied.

Both Gan and Tan are said to have provided Liaw with false supporting quotations to mislead NUS into awarding jobs to their companies.

NUS paid their companies for the awarded jobs while Liaw is said to have concealed his interest in these transactions from the university.

All three men are out on bail.

Tan and Gan are scheduled to be in court next on July 30 and Liaw on Aug 30.

Those convicted of corruption can be fined up to $100,000, jailed up to five years, or both.

Any person convicted of cheating can be jailed for up to 10 years, and also be fined.