Businessman who escaped MACC building last year charged with RM2.1 million money laundering

A businessman who made headlines after escaping from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building in October last year was arraigned at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today on money laundering charges involving over RM2.1 million.

Goh Leong Yeong, better known as Alvin Goh, 33, and his brother Goh Yeong Hui, 28, pleaded not guilty after the seven charges against them were read before judge Sabariah Othman.

The two, who are directors of Malaysia House of Internet Sdn Bhd, were alleged to have received RM2,144,000 in proceeds from illegal activities in their company’s Public Bank Berhad account from two Chinese nationals, at Public Bank Bhd, Jalan Bukit Bintang, between Sept 9 and Nov 7, 2019.

The charges were filed under Subsection 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, AntiTerrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years and a fine five times the value of the proceeds from illegal activities, or RM5 million, whichever higher, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt earlier asked the court to set bail at RM300,000 with one surety for each accused, with the additional condition that they report to the nearest police station once a month.

“I request the court to take into account that the amount involved is more than RM2 million, and both the accused are flight risks. Moreover, the bail offered is very reasonable as the case is serious.

“The first accused (Alvin Goh) had also escaped in 2020, and could not be traced by the authorities for several weeks,” he said.

However, lawyer Jacky Loi Yap Loong, who represented the two accused, requested for bail to be set at RM30,000 for Yeong Hui as Alvin could not be bailed as he was detained under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) 1959.

“Previously, my clients were charged at the Special Court (for Illegal Immigrants cases) in Semenyih with their passports handed over to the court, so there is no risk of them fleeing.

“However, to correct the record, my client did not escape but was released on bail when he was detained by MACC,” said the lawyer.

The court then allowed each accused bail of RM200,000 with one surety, with the additional condition that they report to the nearest police station once a month, and set May 24 for mention of the case and submission of documents.

Alvin, who was handcuffed, wore a white Poca lock-up shirt when he arrived at the court at 11.05am in a van from the Prisons Department, escorted by immigration personnel.

On Dec 1 last year, Bernama reported that the main suspects behind the Macau scam syndicate and online gambling activities, namely Zaidi Kanapiah or Addy Kanna and Alvin, as well as two policemen, were detained for two years under Poca.