MACC seeks to forfeit over RM510k from two online gambling suspects

 

The MACC seeks to forfeit over RM517,000 of alleged illegal proceeds from two businesspersons and three companies.

The anti-graft watchdog last month filed forfeiture suits against Goh Leong Yeong (better known as Alvin Goh) and Alyaa Syuhaila Mohamad Shariff, as well as Malaysian House of Internet Sdn Bhd, Networld Computer (KL) Sdn Bhd, and Nine Nine International Sdn Bhd.

Alyaa Syuhaila is the wife of businessperson Zaidi Kanapiah, who is also known as Addy Kanna. He and Goh were previously detained under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) for alleged involvement in online gambling.

However, Addy Kanna succeeded in his appeal at the Federal Court to quash his Poca detention.

According to a copy of the forfeiture suits, the MACC seeks to forfeit RM60,232.01 and RM353,723.81 from Goh and Alyaa Syuhaila respectively.

Third-party notice

The RM60,232.01 sought to be forfeited are from Goh’s three bank accounts, while the RM353,723.81 sought are from Alyaa Syuhaila’s five accounts (two bank accounts and three Amanah Saham Bumiputera accounts).

The anti-graft watchdog seeks to forfeit RM10,588.94, RM16,721.75, and RM75,846.82, from the Malaysian House of Internet, Networld Computer, and Nine Nine International, respectively.

The MACC contends that the proceeds, in bank accounts frozen between September and October last year, are illicit and derived from unlicensed cryptocurrency trading businesses and online gambling.

Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur High Court today allowed the prosecution’s application to gazette third-party notice in the forfeiture action.

Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan gave the green light, following no objections from lawyers representing Goh and Alyaa Syuhaila.

Targeted monies

When gazetted, the notice seeks to give notice to any third-party claimants, who may wish to contest the authorities’ forfeiture action against the targeted monies.

The judge then fixed Dec 23 for case management of the forfeiture action. No hearing date has been set for the merits of the legal action.

When met by the media today, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib confirmed the outcome of the proceedings.

On April 12 this year before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, Goh, 33, and his brother Goh Yeong Hui, 28, claimed trial to seven money laundering charges involving sums of RM2.1 million.

The two brothers were alleged directors of Malaysia House of Internet.

On Dec 1 last year, Bernama reported that the main suspects behind online gambling activities, namely Addy Kanna and Goh, as well as two police officers, were detained for two years under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca). - Mkini