Before City Harvest, other religious figures who got in trouble over use of funds
The trial involving six City Harvest Church (CHC) leaders, including founder Kong Hee, came to a close in September after 140 days.
The six members, which also include Kong’s deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, are accused of misusing about $50 million in church funds involving an alleged plot to boost Kong’s wife Ho Yeow Sun’s pop music career.
Prosecutors allege the six illegally used $24 million to finance the Crossover Project, a plan to use Ho’s music career as a method of evangelism, and used a further $26.6 million to cover up the amount through sham investments in firms owned by CHC supporters.
In addition to Kong and Tan, finance manager Sharon Tan, former finance manager Serina Wee, and two former church committee members Chew Eng Han and John Lam, will learn their fates on 21 October, when Judge See Kee Oon is set to deliver his verdict.
They may yet escape the fate of these religious figures in Singapore found guilty of misusing funds:
Anthony Tan
Anthony Tan, the former principal of Maris Stella High School, was found guilty of embezzling $67,700 in 2013. He had used money from a school chapel-building fund to instead renovate Champagnat House, the residence of the Marist order in Singapore, which paid for granite surfacing on walls, stained glass windows, and kitchen appliances.
Tan was sentenced to five months jail, but appealed against the conviction and the sentence. His lawyer had argued that Tan believed the money belonged to the Marist Brothers, who had set up the school. In 2014, his appeal was dismissed and his sentence upheld.
Ming Yi
Shi Ming Yi, the founder and former chief executive of Ren Ci Hospital, was found guilty of misappropriating funds in 2009 in relation an unauthorised loan of $50,000 given to an aide. In addition, he was also guilty of fraud, falsifying documents, and giving false information to the Commissioner of Charities.
He was jailed 10 months, which was later cut to six after a successful appeal. Ming Yi was well-known for performing death-defying stunts during charity shows to raise funds for Ren Ci Hospital, but he kept a low profile after his conviction. In 2015, he was in the news again, this time for donating his kidney to a stranger from a low-income family.
Joachim Kang
Joachim Kang, a priest from St Teresa’s Church, was found guilty of embezzling $5.1 million in church funds in 2004. Prosecutors said he had used the money to purchase computers for two “god-daughters”, as well as register for an $835,000 apartment with one of them.
He was sentenced to seven and a half years jail, but had that reduced in 2008 for good behaviour, and was allowed to serve the remaining eight months under the home detention scheme. He had also secured a job with law firm Colin Ng & Partners under a job placement scheme to integrate ex-inmates. After completing his sentence, Kang was restored to full duties as a priest.
