Former Marine Life Aquaculture Director accused of stealing $250,000 from AVA

A former managing director of Marine Life Aquaculture made fraudulent equipment reimbursement claims to obtain S$246,400 in funding support from the then-Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

Tan Chee Boon, aged 47, was charged with fraud and forgery on Friday (14 October).

The funds were from two AVA-administered schemes that helped Singaporean farmers purchase equipment to boost agricultural output.

Police said in a news release on Friday that in 2015, Tan got S$35,000 from the Food Fund to reimburse Marine Life Aquaculture for allegedly purchased equipment.

In September and October of 2016, he reportedly deceived AVA by dishonestly concealing the fact that the equipment had not been procured.

Tan allegedly submitted bogus quotes from a putative overseas company in 2016 in order to obtain clearance for financing support of up to S$1.4 million from the Agriculture Productivity Fund.

Under the approved funding support, he is accused of defrauding AVA of S$211,400 in 2017 to reimburse Marine Life Aquaculture for equipment that the company did not purchase.

Tan could be imprisoned for up to three years and/or fined for cheating.

If convicted of forgery with the intent to defraud, Tan could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine.

Cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a fine.