Man jailed for conspiring with friend to sell fake gold bars
A self-employed man asked his friend to help him pawn fake gold bars and promised him 10 to 15 per cent of the money paid for each bar that was successfully pawned, a district court heard.
Adrian Chan Hanqi, 29, admitted to two counts of abetment by conspiracy with Johnson Quek Chaur Liang, 23, to cheat Maxi-Cash by making the staff believe that four pieces of Perth Mint Australia gold bars were made of pure gold, and induced the staff to hand over a total of $6,320 to Quek.
The offences took place at Maxi-Cash's Choa Chu Kang MRT station outlet on Aug 4 and Sept 5, 2016 involving one and three gold bars respectively.
On Tuesday (Aug 29), Chan was sentenced to three months' jail. Another two offences of abetting Quek to cheat Valuemax and Shing Heng pawnshop, which were unsuccessful, were considered during sentencing.
Quek, who was a screening officer at Certis Cisco, was given five months' jail in June this year.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jonathan Trachsel said that sometime in August 2016, Chan messaged Quek informing him that he had gold bars that he needed help to pawn. He also told Quek that the gold bars were not pure gold and of a mixed content.
Chan promised Quek 10 to 15 per cent of the money that the latter succeeded in pawning.
On Aug 4, 2016, Quek presented one piece of the Perth Mint Australia gold bar to a staff at the Maxi-Cash outlet at Choa Chu Kang MRT station for pawning.
Quek received $1,120 for the gold bar and handed $1,000 to Chan at a nearby carpark. Quek kept the remaining $120.
Sometime in September 2016, Chan again contacted Quek, saying he had more fake gold bars which needed his help to pawn. Quek agreed.
On Sept 5, Quek went to the same outlet and presented three pieces of Perth Mint Australia gold bars for pawning while Chan acted as a lookout. Quek was paid $5,200. Chan gave $550 to him for his help.
The gold bars were analysed and found to be gold plated and had a low gold content.
Chan, who has since made full restitution of $6,320, will start his sentence on Sept 29.
He could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined on each charge.
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