Sunshine Empire Trial
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Sunshine Empire founder tells court he never intended to cheat
SINGAPORE: Founder of the now-defunct multi-level marketing company, Sunshine Empire, took the stand in court on Monday.
James Phang Wah, who has been charged with fraud, falsifying accounts and criminal breach of trust, told the court he never intended to cheat anyone.
He said he spent a long time studying how to make a multi-level marketing company work.
49-year-old Phang said he had often tried to explain to his members that there are no guaranteed returns.
He said they were determined by Sunshine Empire's profit.
Phang faces 20 charges involving some S$3.5 million, while his wife Neo Kuon Huay faces seven charges amounting to about S$700,000.
The company's ex-director Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat faces 10 charges that involve more than S$900,000.
Phang said after he suffered a S$6-million loss in investments in Indonesia, he went behind the scenes and worked as a consultant, helping students to set up multi-level marketing companies.
Even though Phang is the founder of Sunshine Empire, he said his roles in the company are as consultant and manager.
However, the prosecution said Phang played a big role in setting the direction of the company, as the top management paid great attention to his words.
- CNA/yb -
One picture to discribe sunshine empire and all your favourite MLM
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Can I still join Sunshine empire? Last time my friend say until very powerful and can make alot of money, now suddenly i got the urge to join liao...
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'There was nothing sinister'
THE founder of Sunshine Empire, which allegedly operated a multimillion-dollar scam, denied it was a fraudulent business.
James Phang Wah, 49, maintained this when cross-examined by Deputy Public Prosecutor Aedit Abdullah in court on Tuesday.
The prosecution had alleged that the firm's business was not sustainable as it had no substantial source of income except for the sale of its lifestyle packages, which would increase the costs of rebates as there would be more customers.
Phang disagreed and said that the total costs did not amount to 50 per cent. He had also delayed payment of his consultancy fee for 1 1/2 years until October 2007, and even then, the US$5 million (S$7 million) he received did not amount to the agreed 5 per cent of sales turnover. He told the court that there was nothing sinister or illegal about Sunshine's business.
Also on trial with Phang are the firm's president Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat, 29, and Phang's wife Neo Kuon Huay, 46, who was described as the group sales director.
Hoo is also accused of receiving about $950,000 by abetting Phang in criminal breach of trust, while Neo is said the have falsified payment vouchers to receive nearly $1 million in commissions.
Hoo is expected to testify next.
-- ST
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what do you expect him to say ?
anyway, you look at his fark face and you just know he's a conman................wonder how people can trust him.............he looks like a smiling tiger..........
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In the Sunshine Empire thread in the MLM forum, I repeatedly asked a very simple question:
'What does Sunshine Empire do to earn profits? Does it provide goods and services, or does it invest the money of its clients?'
All I got was all sorts of weird answers that said a lot without answering my question.
I sure would like the prosecution to ask that question in court during the cross-examination.
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nothing more than a dressed up ponzi game lah................i'm sure they sell crap junk at obscene prices..........
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ponzi game is the answer, they ask you to be member, pay up some fees for some package, those package can exchange items, etc etc, then more members more money, scam here and there.
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lol .... best part is this chap started not one but three MLMs .....
are there any three time suckers out there ? ...
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Heng never join. I find it lame when you need to pay money to join. Exp also sia, forgot how much liao
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hope the farking bastard and wife and all their kakis get the absolute maximum sentences...........
then they tried to appeal..............and their sentences increased some more.............LOL
maybe they run into some of their victims in jail.................and they get robbed of their anal virginity................LOL
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Originally posted by As romanista2001:
hope the farking bastard and wife and all their kakis get the absolute maximum sentences...........
then they tried to appeal..............and their sentences increased some more.............LOL
maybe they run into some of their victims in jail.................and they get robbed of their anal virginity................LOL
Cruel... No diff from the ming yi, durai lah
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Originally posted by TTFU:
Cruel... No diff from the ming yi, durai lah
those 2 bastards deserved to have their arses royally screwed too..............
too bad they're not in China, otherwise they'll meet the firing squad................i wonder if they let the victims pull the trigger over there.......LOL
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if they are guilty, can the authorities impound and freeze their assets and gave it back to the victims?
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assets frozen liao lor otherwise these farkers would have given the money to their families, etc
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Sunshine Empire founder says wife entitled to profits
SINGAPORE: The case involving multi-level marketing firm Sunshine Empire continued in court on Tuesday.
Its founder James Phang said his wife Neo Kuon Huay had rightful claim over some S$1 million because she was the company's sales director.
Neo was allegedly unaware of this.
Phang said he had not told her because he did not want to distract her from her work.
Neo has been charged with falsifying payment vouchers, but Phang testified that as sales director, she was entitled to one per cent of the company's profits.
The case resumes on Wednesday.
James Phang and his business partner Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat have been charged with fraud.
Phang faces some 20 charges involving about S$3.5 million, while the company's ex-director Hoo faces 10 charges involving over S$900,000.
- CNA/yb -
when the PAP want you in prison, there's no getting out...............these few bastards and bitches deserve to rot in there...............best if their cell-mates have been victims of such scams in the past..............LOL
hope PAP will confiscate EVERYTHING they have...........their houses, all cash and jewellery.............even the wife's tampons...........
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Sunshine Empire planned to develop online shopping site
SINGAPORE: The ex-director of now-defunct multi-level marketing company Sunshine Empire took the stand in court on Wednesday, and said the company had intended to develop its online shopping platform e-mall into a profit-making business like eBay.
However, it was aborted after a raid by the Commercial Affairs Department.
29-year-old Jackie Hoo said Sunshine Empire had long-term plans for its e-mall.
It was to be a single platform for shopping, auctions and advertising.
He said Sunshine Empire was not worried the platform would be under-used, as it had a large database of members' information, and sold thousands of products.
When the defence counsel asked the number of members registered under e-mall, Hoo said it was "in the thousands", but was unsure of the actual figure.
Hoo faces 10 charges for fraud, failing to keep proper accounting records and criminal breach of trust, involving about S$940,000.
The trial continues Thursday.
- CNA/yb -
ah this chap
i think more than 3 MLM, you wouldnt noe what subsidiaries he set up with dubious links to each other
this is the reason why i enter sgforums
u can see ntiparis, sunshine empire, empire dreams all over mlm forum
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Originally posted by QX179R:
Sunshine Empire founder says wife entitled to profits
SINGAPORE: The case involving multi-level marketing firm Sunshine Empire continued in court on Tuesday.
Its founder James Phang said his wife Neo Kuon Huay had rightful claim over some S$1 million because she was the company's sales director.
Neo was allegedly unaware of this.
Phang said he had not told her because he did not want to distract her from her work.
Neo has been charged with falsifying payment vouchers, but Phang testified that as sales director, she was entitled to one per cent of the company's profits.
The case resumes on Wednesday.
James Phang and his business partner Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat have been charged with fraud.
Phang faces some 20 charges involving about S$3.5 million, while the company's ex-director Hoo faces 10 charges involving over S$900,000.
- CNA/ybOne of the DirectorOne of the director name is Hoo Choon Cheat,his name says it all,"Cheat" means he is out to "CHEAT" your $$.!
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Ex-director says Sunshine Empire flourished with multi-level marketing
SINGAPORE: The trial involving Sunshine Empire continued Thursday, with ex-director Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat telling the court that the company struggled to survive after he was appointed director.
He said after the company adopted a new client-to-client concept, it had a large volume of transactions on its online portal E-mall.
This brought in millions of US dollars.
29-year-old Hoo said in the first four months that he was with Sunshine Empire, the company had to take loans from banks to continue operating.
He said the wife of Sunshine Empire's founder, Neo Kuon Huay, had also paid for the company's operating costs out of her own pocket, but he was unsure of the actual amount.
Hoo said he did not receive any complaints from members, but some members had asked for refunds.
He admitted that their reported returns had helped to attract members, but added that members should understand there are no guaranteed returns.
Hoo also altered his statement in court. He said he had actually told managers of other companies that Neo was the group sales director, and this was not only known to him and Sunshine Empire founder James Phang Wah.
- CNA/yb -
Anyway, extract from reliable source :(http://news.asiaone.com/News/Mailbox/Story/A1Story20100312-204129.html )
Apologise for wall of text.
Body enforces stringent MLM code
Fri, Mar 12, 2010
my paper
As far back as 1977, DSAS started working closely with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) to remove all forms of malpractice in the direct-selling industry, such as high-pressure sales tactics and false promises.
The public can be assured that their interests are protected if they join a DSAS member. DSAS member companies have to uphold a stringent Code of Ethics, including allowing new customers a seven-day cooling-off period to cancel their contract without penalty.
This is two days more than the industry standard.
Member companies of DSAS are not allowed to put undue pressure on their distributors or get them to have more inventory than they can sell. The public can report companies suspected of flouting this rule to Case and DSAS.The public can be assured that their interests are protected if they join a DSAS member.
DSAS member companies have to uphold a stringent Code of Ethics, including allowing new customers a seven-day cooling-off period to cancel their contract without penalty.
Member companies of DSAS are not allowed to put undue pressure on their distributors or get them to have more inventory than they can sell.
The public can report companies suspected of flouting this rule to Case and DSAS.
DSAS is also in collaboration with another market regulator, the Commercial Affairs Department( CAD of SPF ).
DSAS appeals to the public and to those aspiring to become self-made MLM entrepreneurs to transact only with DSAS member companies, to ensure that only best business and ethical practices are carried out.
For more information on DSAS, please visit www.dsas.org.sg
MR LEO BOON WANG
CHAIRMAN
DIRECT SELLING ASSOCIATION
OF SINGAPORE