PUBLISHED ONJuly 26, 2026 12:00 AMBYSean LerNine people, aged between 17 and 55, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in creating shell companies and handing over control of associated corporate bank accounts to an illegal online gambling syndicate.
The police said on Saturday (July 25) that the seven men and two women were arrested following a three-day gambling suppression operation conducted between July 22 and 24.
The operation, involving officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Woodlands Police Division and Tanglin Police Division, saw raids conducted at multiple locations islandwide, including Upper Jurong Road, Jurong West, Punggol, Geylang, Lengkok Bahru and Toa Payoh.
Six people were arrested for their alleged roles in setting up business entities and corporate bank accounts which were believed to have been used by the syndicate to facilitate monetary transactions linked to illegal online gambling activities.
Another three individuals were believed to have acted as runners and were arrested for assisting the syndicate in obtaining these business entities and corporate bank accounts.
The operation led to the identification of nine corporate bank accounts linked to six shell companies and $39,000 in suspected criminal proceeds were frozen.
Police said their preliminary investigations revealed that the six were believed to have used their Singpass credentials to register new business entities with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.
They then opened corporate bank accounts linked to these entities, before relinquishing control of the entities, corporate bank accounts and banking credentials to the runners.
The syndicate which obtained these bank accounts is said to be operating an illegal online gambling platform known as "GemBet".
All nine are currently being investigated for offences under the Computer Misuse Act, Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act, Companies Act, and the Gambling Control Act.
The police reminded members of the public not to sell or relinquish control of their personal or corporate bank accounts, business entities, Singpass credentials or other access credentials for use in criminal activities.
"These acts may facilitate illegal gambling, scams, money laundering and other criminal activities, and offenders will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law," the police said.
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