19/10/2016

Yang Yin saga: A recap of the case

Update 3 Mar 2017: Jail term for ex-tour guide Yang Yin extended to 9 years
Yang Yin, the former tour guide from China who was convicted of cheating a rich S'porean widow of $1.1 million, will serve a longer jail term of nine years. FOTO: ST FILE

Yang Yin, the former tour guide from China who was convicted of cheating a rich S'porean widow of $1.1 million, will serve a longer jail term of nine years.

Yang, 42, was convicted in September last year for 2 offences of criminal breach of trust & sentenced to 6 years in jail. He had misappropriated the money from Madam Chung Khin Chun, now 90, in 2010 & 2012.

On Friday (March 3), the High Court extended the jail term to 9 years on grounds that the initial sentence imposed by the State Courts on the Chinese national was manifestly inadequate.


Yang Yin saga: A recap of the case
Mr Yang Yin is flanked by Madam Chung Khin Chun (left) & Madam Chang Phie Chin in a foto taken in Beijing on 23 October 2008 foto: Hedy Mok

A protracted saga that began in 2014 came to an end on Friday (Sep 30) when former China tour guide Yang Yin was jailed 6 years for misappropriating $1.1 million from wealthy widow Chung Khin Chun .

A day earlier, the 42-yr-old was also sentenced to 26 months for falsifying receipts, as well as for immigration & cheating offences.

Here is a recap of a case that was described in court as an "epic tale" involving Yang and Madam Chung:
  • The key players - Yang Yin, Madam Chung Khin Chun, Madam Hedy Mok & Madam Chang Phie Chin
  • The charges that Yang faced - Yang's Misappropriatoin $500,000, Yang's misappropiation of $600,000, Yang's defence
related:
Appeal over Yang Yin's 'inadequate' jail term
Yang Yin trial: Prosecution seeks 2.5 to 3 years' jail
26 months jail for Yang Yin over PR status fraud

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Prosecution appeals against Yang Yin's term
The Attorney-General's Chambers called Yang's 6-yr term "manifestly inadequate"

The prosecution is appealing against what it called the "manifestly inadequate" 6-yr jail term for a former tour guide from China, Yang Yin, who misappropriated $1.1 million from an elderly S'porean widow.

"The sentence does not adequately reflect the true criminality of Mr Yang's conduct," said the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) in a statement yesterday.

Last Friday, Principal District Judge Bala Reddy had sentenced Yang, 42, to 6 years' imprisonment for committing 2 criminal breach of trust offences. The Chinese national had misappropriated $500,000 and $600,000 from 89-yr-old Madam Chung Khin Chun in 2010 and 2012 .

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Yang Yin jailed 6 years for misappropriating S$1.1m from elderly widow

Former tour guide Yang Yin was sentenced to 6 years’ jail on Friday (Sep 29) for misappropriating S$1.1 million from a wealthy widow he had spent years “ingratiating” himself with, in an act prosecutors have called a “deep betrayal” of the 89-yr-old woman.

On Thursday, Yang was sentenced to 26 months’ jail for duping Singapore authorities into granting him permanent residency by setting up a shell company, falsifying hundreds of receipts and paying small sums in tax.

This means that the 42-yr-old will spend a total of 8 years and 2 months behind bars.

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Yang Yin jailed 6 years for misappropriating S$1.1 million from widow

Although former tour guide Yang Yin had preyed on a wealthy elderly widow and cheated her of her money, a district judge on Friday (Sep 30) noted that a “suitably calibrated sentence” need not be “crushing” to deter other like-minded individuals from committing similar offences.

Hence, Principal District Judge Bala Reddy sentenced Yang to 6 years’ jail for misappropriating S$1.1 million from Madam Chung Khin Chun, which was less than the 10 to 12 years’ imprisonment term that the prosecutors had pressed for.

On Thursday, in a separate case, Yang was sentenced to 26 months’ jail for 120 charges, which were mostly for falsifying receipts amounting to S$186,900 for his music & dance school to gain permanent residency in Singapore.

related: Yang Yin gets 26 months’ jail for falsifying receipts to gain PR status

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Yang Yin jailed 6 years for misappropriating $1.1M from widow

Former tour guide Yang Yin has been sentenced to 6 years’ jail on Friday (30 Sep) for criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving the misappropriation of $1.1 million from 89-yr-old widow Chung Khin Chun.

Yang, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty to 2 CBT charges in August for misappropriating $500,000 and $600,000 from the widow, in 2010 & 2012, respectively.

In his grounds of decision, principal district judge Bala Reddy said Yang’s 6-year sentence was “not crushing given the nature of the offences, the amount of monies involved and the specific facts of this case”. The prosecution in the case had been seeking 10 to 12 years’ imprisonment for Yang.

related:
Yang Yin jailed 26 months for falsification, cheating and immigration offences
Crimes and ‘calculated lies’ of Yang Yin merit 10-12 year jail term: DPP

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Ex-tour guide Yang Yin jailed 6 years for misappropriating $1.1 million from widow
Former China tour guide Yang Yin leaving the Police Cantonment Complex alone on Sep 18, 2014. He is set to be sentenced on Friday (Sep 30) for misappropriating $1.1 million entrusted to him by a wealthy S'porean widow FOTO: ST FILE

Former tour guide Yang Yin was sentenced to 6 years' jail on Friday (Sep 30) for misappropriating $1.1 million entrusted to him by a wealthy S'porean widow.

Yang, 42, from China, befriended Madam Chung Khin Chun when he was her tour guide & moved to Singapore to live at her Gerald Crescent bungalow off  Yio Chu Kang Road in 2009. He had pleaded guilty in August to 2 charges of misappropriating $500,000 in 2010 and $600,000 in 2012 from her. The 89-yr-old was diagnosed with dementia in April 2014.

Yang was given 32 months for the first charge and 40 months for the second charge.

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Yang jailed for various offences
GUILTY: Former China tour guide Yang Yin falsified receipts and committed immigration and cheating offences.FOTO: S'PORE POLICE FORCE

Former China tour guide Yang Yin was jailed 26 months yesterday for falsifying receipts, as well as for immigration and cheating offences.

In May, Yang, 42, pleaded guilty to 120 out of 347 charges; the rest were taken into account for his sentencing.

Most of his charges were for falsifying receipts made to his bogus company Young Music & Dance Studio while the rest were for cheating, immigration crimes, & breaking Companies Act laws.

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Yang Yin jailed 26 months for committing fraud to gain PR status

Former tour guide Yang Yin has been sentenced to 26 months’ jail for duping the authorities into granting him PR status by setting up a shell company, falsifying hundreds of receipts & paying small sums in tax – all to shore up his PR application.

In sentencing Yang, District Judge Jennifer Marie said the 42-yr-old China national had, in his bid to remain in Singapore, abused financial services and committed hundreds of offences over the 5 years he was here. His “elaborate” offences were premeditated and carefully planned, the judge said.

Yang was convicted in May of 120 charges, including 110 counts for falsifying receipts involving S$186,900 showing payments to a shell company he set up to gain permanent residency here, as well as 4 charges under the Companies Act & 6 for cheating & immigration offences.

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Prison for tour guide swindler

A CHINESE tour guide who swindled an elderly Singaporean widow out of millions has been jailed for eight years in a case that has fanned anti-immigrant sentiment in Singapore.

Yang Yin, 42, “abused a position of trust,” a court judge said yesterday, after he became close to 89-year-old Chung Khin Chun, a wealthy widow who suffers from dementia, and persuaded her to give him power of attorney over her affairs.

Yang and his family moved into Chung’s luxury bungalow and took control of her S$40 million (US$29.3 million) fortune. Due to a combination of profligate spending and fraud, she was left with just S$10,000 in her bank account by the time she launched legal action against him in 2014.

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Prosecution seeks minimum 10 years imprisonment of Yang Yin for misappropriating $1.1 million from widow

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sanjiv Vaswani, who led the prosecution, asked after presenting sentencing submissions on Friday (9 September) for Yang to be sentenced at least 10 to 12 years imprisonment  for misappropriating $1.1 million belonging to the elderly and “vulnerable” Madam Chung on two separate occasions

Yang met Mdm Ching Khian Chun back in 2006 at a travel fair in china. He was also her tour guide during her tour to Beijing in 2008. They kept being in contact for years until in 2009, Yang moved into her bungalow on Gerald Crescent near Buangkok in February 2009 after the death of her husband. Only a month after his stay at her place, Young Music and Dance Studio was established in order for Yang to gain permanent residency here.

Yang is accused of cheating 89-year-old Madam Chung Khin Chun, a total of S$1.1 million. During the trial, Yang always said that Mdm Chung had given him all the monies.

related: Yang Yin Saga

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YANG YIN SENTENCED FOR MISAPPROPRIATING $ - WILL SPEND AT LEAST 8 YEARS IN JAIL

Former grassroots volunteer Yang Yin has been sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment for misappropriating $1.1 million from 89-year-old, Madam Chung Khin Chun.

Yesterday he was sentenced to 26 months' jail yesterday for falsifying receipts to gain PR status.

Yang will will be spending a total of 8 years and 2 months behind bars for all of his criminal offences.

related: DPP TAN SEEKS 13 YEAR JAIL FOR PRC SWINDLER YANG YIN

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For ‘bamboozling’ old lady of her fortune, 6 more years for Yang Yin

NINETY-EIGHT months. For all his scheming to enter Singapore and trying to swindle an old woman of her million-dollar fortune, Yang Yin will have to spend 98 months in jail.

The bulk of that sentence was delivered this morning (Sept 30). Charged with two counts of criminal breach of trust, which he pleaded guilty to on Aug 16, the judge sentenced him to six years in jail. These charges relate to the misappropriation of $1.1 million from an 89-year-old widow, Madam Chung Khin Chun.

In reading out his grounds of judgment, Principal District Judge Bala Reddy described Yang as “preying on the vulnerability of the elderly lady, very advanced in age”.

related:
Yang Yin: The bluffer who bluffed people with bluff people
Yang Yin on trial: Portrait of a scam artist
Yang Yin on trial: Widow’s long-time friend “gave up” advising her
Yang Yin on trial: $1.1m of art worth only $3.2K, says expert
Yang Yin on trial: More about that $500,000 painting
Guilty: 3 reasons Yang Yin’s defence was doomed from the start
Yang Yin on trial: A u-turn ending back in court
Yang Yin on trial: A day in the life of Yang Yin
Yang Yin on trial: The secret between ‘granny’ and ‘grandson’
Yang Yin trial: 7 lies, false impressions and exaggerations
Every single lie Yang Yin has told, according to the prosecution
Yang Yin trial: Wolf in sheep’s clothing or loving grandson?


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Yang Ying sentenced to over 8 years in jail – Widow’s niece thinks its insufficient

Former grassroots volunteer Yang Yin has been sentenced today to 6 years’ imprisonment for misappropriating $1.1 million from 89-year-old, Madam Chung Khin Chun. He was sentenced yesterday (29 Sep) to 26 months’ jail term for falsifying documents to gain permanent residency in Singapore.

The prosecution had asked for 10-12 year term for Yang’s “deep betrayal”. The defence argued for 3 years, saying that he was not “emotionally manipulative”, but had only done what he did so as to reduce the financial burden on his family. He will now be spending a total of 8 years and 2 months behind bars for his offences.

Madam Chung’s niece Hedy Mok said that she was “totally disappointed” with the 6-year jail term, and that it was “too lenient”. She estimated that the con-artist has gotten away with about $8 million of the widow’s fortunes. Considering her aunt’s loss of not just money but also her dignity, Ms Mok felt that “justice has not done really well.”

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Yang Yin saga: We tried to warn her about Yang, say widow's friends, driver and maids
From left: Ms Linda Tan, a neighbour of Madam Chung's; Madam Chang Phie Chin, Madam Chung's close family friend; & a friend known only as Madam Yip; leaving the court after Yang's sentencing.ST FOTO: JAMIE KOH

Former China tour guide Yang Yin may have already been convicted & jailed for cheating wealthy widow Chung Khin Chun of $1.1 million, but one person still blames herself for what happened.

Madam Chang Phie Chin, a close family friend of Madam Chung, told The Sunday Times yesterday: "I was the one who introduced them to each other. If they had not met, maybe all these things would not have happened."

Madam Chang, a retired Chinese language teacher who is now 87, first met Yang in 2005 during a tour to Shanghai, China.

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Yang case: Falsifying documents so as to gain an Employment Pass

Last week, PRC and former grassroots member Yang Yin was sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment for misappropriating $1.1 million from 89-year-old Madam Chung Khin Chun. In addition, he was also sentenced to 26 months’ jail term for falsifying documents so as to gain an Employment Pass as well as permanent residency in Singapore 

In 2009, Yang came to Singapore living with Mdm Chung. He was granted an Employment Pass by MOM to “work” in the music school he had set up using Mdm Chung’s address. It was later found that the business was a sham.


ST also reported that, Linda Tan, a neighbour living several units away from Mdm Chung’s bungalow knew about Yang as early as 2009. An old friend of Mdm Chung had told Ms Tan about her suspicions about Yang. “There was little that I could do at that time,” Ms Tan said.

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Stripped of fantasy, the real Yang Yin revealed

STANDING at the docks for about the 15th time yesterday (Sept 30), he trembled incessantly. He kept his head bowed and didn’t react. Even when he was served a total of six years’ jail for his two criminal breach of trust charges.

Dressed in a white prisoner’s tee shirt and long brown pants, Yang Yin looked a different person from the days before he was arrested by the police. He was often photographed living the high life with branded goods and staying at luxury hotels. He was seen toting Louis Vuitton bags. He was particularly fond of a Louis Vuitton belt with a gold buckle, which he wore frequently.

Some might remember the testimony of a prosecution witness, who described the 42-year-old’s personal style as “garish” and “outlandish”.

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Parents & Wife of Ex-Guide in Tussle over Widow's $40m Assets

Yang Yin is currently in police remand after Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon struck down an earlier order made by the State Courts to grant him bail

First it was Yang Yin, then his wife. Now his parents in China, along with a woman who bailed him out earlier, could be made defendants in a civil suit alleging that the former China tour guide manipulated a multimillionaire widow into handing him control of her wealth.

The lawyer for Madam Hedy Mok, the widow's niece, revealed this yesterday following a 30-minute pre-trial conference at the High Court.

Mr Andrew Lee said an application has been filed to include Yang's parents - Mr Yang Sannan, 71, and Madam He Xianglan, 67 - as parties to the suit. The retirees live in Zhejiang, China.

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Former Tour Guide: Tussle over $40 million Assets

Former tour guide Yang Yin, who is embroiled in the battle for the estate of widow Chung Khin Chun, was slapped with three new charges for immigration offences.

According to online reports, the 40-year-old was charged on Thursday for giving false statements to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority in 2010 and 2011 when he was attempting to apply for Permanent Resident status.

Yang is already facing 331 charges for allegedly falsifying accounts of his company Young Music and Dance Studio to make it seem that it was a viable business and had received $450,000 in payment for services.

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