10/24/2015

BeforeCityHarvest,otherreligiousfigureswhogotintroubleoveruseoffundsYahooNewsSingapore

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BeforeCityHarvest,otherreligiousfigureswhogotintrouble
overuseoffunds
ByBryanHuang|YahooNewsroomTue,Oct6,2015

ThetrialinvolvingsixCityHarvestChurch(CHC)leaders,includingfounderKongHee,cametoacloseinSeptemberafter
140days.
Thesixmembers,whichalsoincludeKongsdeputyseniorpastorTanYePeng,areaccusedofmisusingabout$50million
inchurchfundsinvolvinganallegedplottoboostKongswifeHoYeowSunspopmusiccareer.

KongHeearrivesincourtforhisseconddayonthestandattheCityHarvestChurchtrialon12
August2014.(Yahoo

Prosecutorsallegethesixillegallyused$24milliontofinancetheCrossoverProject,aplantouseHosmusiccareerasa
methodofevangelism,andusedafurther$26.6milliontocoveruptheamountthroughshaminvestmentsinfirmsowned
byCHCsupporters.
InadditiontoKongandTan,financemanagerSharonTan,formerfinancemanagerSerinaWee,andtwoformerchurch
committeemembersChewEngHanandJohnLam,willlearntheirfateson21October,whenJudgeSeeKeeOonissetto
deliverhisverdict.
TheymayyetescapethefateofthesereligiousfiguresinSingaporefoundguiltyofmisusingfunds:
AnthonyTan
AnthonyTan,theformerprincipalofMarisStellaHighSchool,wasfoundguiltyofembezzling$67,700in2013.Hehad

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10/24/2015

BeforeCityHarvest,otherreligiousfigureswhogotintroubleoveruseoffundsYahooNewsSingapore

usedmoneyfromaschoolchapelbuildingfundtoinsteadrenovateChampagnatHouse,theresidenceoftheMaristorder
inSingapore,whichpaidforgranitesurfacingonwalls,stainedglasswindows,andkitchenappliances.
Tanwassentencedtofivemonthsjail,butappealedagainsttheconvictionandthesentence.Hislawyerhadarguedthat
TanbelievedthemoneybelongedtotheMaristBrothers,whohadsetuptheschool.In2014,hisappealwasdismissedand
hissentenceupheld.
MingYi
ShiMingYi,thefounderandformerchiefexecutiveofRenCiHospital,wasfoundguiltyofmisappropriatingfundsin2009
inrelationanunauthorisedloanof$50,000giventoanaide.Inaddition,hewasalsoguiltyoffraud,falsifyingdocuments,
andgivingfalseinformationtotheCommissionerofCharities.
Hewasjailed10months,whichwaslatercuttosixafterasuccessfulappeal.MingYiwaswellknownforperforming
deathdefyingstuntsduringcharityshowstoraisefundsforRenCiHospital,buthekeptalowprofileafterhisconviction.
In2015,hewasinthenewsagain,thistimefordonatinghiskidneytoastrangerfromalowincomefamily.
JoachimKang
JoachimKang,apriestfromStTeresasChurch,wasfoundguiltyofembezzling$5.1millioninchurchfundsin2004.
Prosecutorssaidhehadusedthemoneytopurchasecomputersfortwogoddaughters,aswellasregisterforan
$835,000apartmentwithoneofthem.
Hewassentencedtosevenandahalfyearsjail,buthadthatreducedin2008forgoodbehaviour,andwasallowedtoserve
theremainingeightmonthsunderthehomedetentionscheme.HehadalsosecuredajobwithlawfirmColinNg&
Partnersunderajobplacementschemetointegrateexinmates.Aftercompletinghissentence,Kangwasrestoredtofull
dutiesasapriest.

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