AMLC sues 2 businessmen tagged in money laundering scheme

March 22, 2016 - 1:58am

In this Thursday, March 17, 2016 photo, standing from left, East West Bank branch manager Allan Penalosa, Michael Bautista of the Philrem Services Corp., Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. COO Eugene Manalastas and counsel Victor Fernandez, take their oaths prior to the start of the Philippine Senate probe into how about $81 million of Bangladesh's stolen funds were transmitted online to four private accounts at a branch of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. The laundering through the Philippines of $81 million stolen by hackers from a U.S. Federal Reserve account is adding to pressures on the Southeast Asian country to fix loopholes in its financial regime. AP/Bullit Marquez

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) on Tuesday filed charges against two businessmen in connection to the $81-million money laundering scheme.

Businessmen Kam Sin Wong (Kim Wong) and Weikang Xu are facing money laundering charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

RCBC branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito earlier claimed that Wong was the one who introduced her to the five individuals who opened suspicious dollar accounts in the bank.

READ: Launder raps filed vs RCBC exec

Sen. Serge Osmeña said that Wong might be a "major player" in the money laundering scandal.

Philippine Remittance Co. (Philrem) owner Salud Bautista claimed that they had delivered P600 million and $18 million in cash at Solaire Resort and Casino between February 5 to 13 to Xu, who “is not a junket operator but a mere gambler.”

The DOJ had issued a subpoena against Deguito and the AMLC to attend the preliminary investigation for the case which is set on April 12 and 19.

SPONSORED ARTICLES