Trio who sold thousands of fake branded goods in Far East Plaza jailed
CORRECTION: The jail term imposed on Tommy Goh Eng Chuan was three months and two weeks, and not three years and two weeks as previously reported. This story has been updated.
SINGAPORE — Three persons who were involved in the sale of fake branded goods such as handbags in Far East Plaza were jailed on Thursday (21 June).
Liang Sheng Wei, 34, and his wife, Esther Minah Mohamed Shah, 37, ran several shops to sell the items. The couple recruited a person who was facing gambling debts to take the blame if there were police raids.
Among the fake goods sold were those bearing brands such as Chanel, Hermes, Gucci, Bvlgari, Cartier, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Prada.
Liang was jailed a year and three weeks and fined $3,000. He pleaded guilty to 13 out of 61 charges of possessing fake goods for the purpose of trade and two unrelated charges related to illegal gambling. His charges involved 718 fake goods.
Esther, who was jailed 11 months, admitted to 22 out of 113 similar charges related to the sale of fake goods. Her charges involved 2,748 fake goods.
Their accomplice Tommy Goh Eng Chuan was jailed three months and two weeks, and fined $5,000. He admitted to 10 out of 60 charges of abetting in the sale of the fake goods and one count related to illegal gaming.
In 2015, Liang told Goh he wanted to set up a shop in Far East Plaza selling women’s products, including fake luxury goods. “Stars Couture” was opened in Far East Plaza in April 2015.
He asked Goh to be the registered owner of the shop in return for repaying Goh’s gambling debts of about $800 to $2,000 every month. Goh would take the rap if the shop were raided.
In August that year, Liang opened another shop “Kadengweisi” in Far East Plaza. The shop, also under Goh, sold similar items.
Liang employed Esther to run the two shops and she was paid $15,000 each month. He also recruited a cousin to work in one of the shops.
As part of her duties, the cousin hid the fake goods in the storeroom. She would display the goods on weekends and hide them on weekdays.
Liang would order goods from a supplier in China. He asked the supplier to cut off the labels of the goods and sew labels bearing his brands. These goods would be sold in the two shops.
Officers from the Intellectual Property Rights Branch (IPRB) of the police raided the shops on 19 June 2016 and arrested Liang, his cousin, and a shop assistant. Esther was arrested in March 2017.
In their statements to the police, Liang, his cousin, Esther and the shop assistant maintained that Goh was the owner of the two shops.
In Goh’s initial police statements, he confessed that he was the “fall man” recruited by Liang but he later lied that he was the owner of the shops.
In September 2017, Goh decided to confess to IPRB, prompting the other accused persons to come clean.
Esther was earlier involved in two other shops in Far East Plaza selling fake goods between 2012 and 2014.
The trio were represented by lawyer Kesavan Nair, who told the court that Liang got into the business of fake goods after noticing shops in Far East Plaza selling such goods. Liang was caught in 2013 and sentenced to 10 weeks’ jail then.
After his release from prison, Liang found it difficult to get a proper job. He took up odd jobs and also worked in a construction company.
“He lost his self-esteem and was unable to provide for his family and himself. Worse still, he fell into depression and sought solace in bad company, picking up a severe gambling habit,” said Kesavan.
Unable to deal with mounting debts, Liang turned to selling fake goods and gambling again.
The lawyer also said that the couple are currently separated.
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