Manila: Former police chief and ex-Senator Panfilo Lacson, now a senatorial candidate, distanced himself from Chinese businessman Kam Sin Wong, alias Kim Jong, alleged mastermind in the laundering of $81 million that was stolen from Bangladesh’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York last February,
“I’ve known Kim Jong a long time ago. Definitely, I have nothing to do with that (laundered) money,” said Lacson.
At the same time, Lacson told ABS CBN, a TV network: “The alleged drug lord named Kim Jong (from mainland China) that (former Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Victor) Corpus mentioned in his testimonies in the Senate 15 years ago (as allegedly linked to me) is not the same Kim Jong that is now the subject of a money laundering investigation in the Senate.”
The Anti-Money Laundering Council filed at the justice department on March 22, a complaint against Wong, 54, adding his personal bank account at the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation’s (RCBC) branch on Jupiter Street received part of a total of $80,884,641.63 that was remitted to RCBC’s four Filipino bank account holders on February 5 — at the time, Bangladesh Bank lost $101 million, but the $20 million that was sent to a Sri Lankan Bank account was immediately frozen.
AMLC said Wong was the same signatory of the bank account of Eastern Hawaii Leisure and Resorts World Corporation (EHLRWC) where PhilRem Services Corporation, a remittance and foreign exchange company, transferred $21 million (P1 billion or Dh83.3 million) of the $81 million on February 10.
AMLC said Wong withdrew P400 million ($8.695 million or Dh33.33 million) from his personal bank account on February 11; and a total of $19.45 million (P900.48 million or Dh75.04 million) from Eastern Hawaii’s bank account from February 10 to 26.
PhilRem President Salud Bautista moved more money: $30 million in pesos and in dollars, and in cold cash, to casino operator Weikang Xu on February 5; and $29 million to the bank accounts of Manila-based Solaire Resorts and Casino on February 9.
The money trail began from four RCBC depositors: Michael Cruz who received $6 million; Jessie Christopher Lagrosas, $30 million; Alfred Vergara, $10.99 million; and Enrico Vazquez, $25 million on February 5. They were aliases, but they transferred money to the bank account of Filipino-Chinese businessman William So Go on February 5 and 9. Money also moved to PhilRem on February 5 and 9.
In an executive session with senators on March 17, Maia Dequito, bank manager of RCBC branch on Jupiter Street, said Wong instructed her in May 2015 to open dollar bank accounts for four Filipino nationals, and for Go, sources said. She met Wong through car dealer Jason Go. RCBC president Lorenzo Tan told her to “take care” of Wong. She met Go through Allan Penalosa, branch manager of East West Bank in suburban Taguig.
It will be known on March 29, if Wong, who will appear at the senate blue ribbon committee, is the same Wong who was alleged as drug lord and linked to Lacson in 2001. Senators sent the case to the justice department in 2001, for further investigation.
