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Men jailed, fined for illegal baccarat 'insurance' betting
By Claire Huang | Posted: 08 March 2012 1805 hrs
SINGAPORE: Two men have been slapped with custodial sentences and heavy fines for illegal baccarat 'insurance' betting.
Lim Hock Huat and Leong Sai Mun, both 23 years old, were from the same bookmaking syndicate.
They were convicted of accepting insurance bets from patrons playing baccarat at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).
Lim was sentenced to six months' jail and fined S$90,000.
The Prosecution argued that he played a bigger role in the syndicate.
Leong was given three months' jail and was fined S$30,000.
The court was told that Lim joined the illegal syndicate in April 2010 as he felt that his pay at Sun Diamond Travel Agency was too low.
The agency is owned by one of two alleged founders of the syndicate, Teo Chua Kuang, aged 58, and Peh Hai Yam, aged 47.
Court documents showed Lim accepted illegal insurance bets in October and November last year on three occasions at the Maxim and Platinum Club at the casino of RWS.
Leong joined the syndicate later - in September last year.
At that time, he was working at Sun Diamond Pte Ltd, also owned by Teo.
Leong joined the group as his wife was pregnant and needed money.
He has previously been convicted of accepting illegal bets on two occasions - in October and in November last year.
For acting as a bookmaker, they could have been jailed up to five years and fined up to S$200,000 on each count.
- CNA/cc
