Couple Pleads Not Guilty To RM3.7 Million Money Laundering Charges

SEREMBAN, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- A husband and wife pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to 14 charges of receiving RM3.7 million from illegal activities.

Cheong Yin Ying, 39, and James Ooi Joe Behn, 41, both business owners and directors of several pharmacy companies, entered the plea after the charges were read before Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam.

Cheong was charged with receiving RM3,225,484 from illegal activities through transfers from the bank accounts of a man and two companies to her account between January 2021 and May 2023 at Jalan Perindustrian Mantin 2, Kawasan Perindustrian Mantin.

Ooi was accused of receiving RM530,060 from similar sources into his account at the same location between December 2022 and March 2023.

The offences were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, read together with Section 87(1)(a) of the same Act. The law provides for a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of at least five times the amount of the unlawful proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Megat Mahathir Megat Afendi proposed bail of RM50,000 for each charge. However, defence counsel Amirul Fairuzzeen Jamaluddin requested the court to set bail at RM30,000 for each accused, citing their unemployment since a raid in December 2023 and the freezing of their bank accounts.

The court then granted bail of RM60,000 for Cheong and RM40,000 for Ooi, each with one surety. Additional conditions include monthly reporting to the police, refraining from contacting witnesses, and surrendering their passports to the court.

The case is scheduled for mention on Jan 6, 2025.

-- BERNAMA