Chinese tour guide to contest 349 criminal charges
SINGAPORE — Former tour guide Yang Yin, who is embroiled in a long-standing tussle over a wealthy widow’s assets, intends to claim trial to the 349 criminal charges he is facing, his lawyer said yesterday.
Yang, a 41-year-old Chinese national, faces more than 300 charges of immigration offences as well as faking receipts of his music and dance school to gain permanent residency status here.
He also faces two counts of criminal breach of trust for allegedly misappropriating S$1.1million from 89-year-old widow Madam Chung Khin Chun.
Asked if Yang intends to claim trial for his criminal charges after his case was fixed for a court mention yesterday, Yang’s lawyer Wee Pan Lee said: “As it stands, for now, yes.”
Yang has been in remand since October 2014, after he had his bail revoked.
If he is found guilty of criminal breach of trust, Yang can be jailed up to seven years or fined or both. He can also be fined up to S$4,000 or jailed up to 12 months or both for his immigration offences, as well as jailed up to 10 years or fined or both for the falsification of accounts charges.
Separately, Yang is being sued by Madam Hedy Mok for allegedly manipulating her aunt, Mdm Chung, into giving him control of her assets worth an estimated S$40 million.
Yang first met Mdm Chung in Beijing in 2008, before moving into her bungalow here the following year.
After Mdm Mok took legal action against him last year, he lost control of Mdm Chung’s assets with the revocation of her Lasting Power of Attorney and was excluded from her will.
In October, Mdm Mok made an application to withdraw S$6,000 a month from Yang’s frozen assets to care for her elderly aunt.
Her lawyer had told reporters after a hearing in chambers that Yang consented to the withdrawal, making it the first time that the assets — which have been frozen under a Mareva injunction — could potentially be released to anyone.
Just last month, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision, blocking Yang’s attempt to liquidate two of her life insurance policies, worth about S$98,000, to pay for his legal fees.
The High Court had earlier ruled that Yang had an “arguable case” that the money used to buy the policies had been a gift from Mdm Chung.
