Raymond Ng handed 12 cheating charges linked to vending machines

SINGAPORE — Raymond Ng Kai Hoe, who is the husband of anti-vaccine group Healing the Divide founder Iris Koh, was on Feb 7 handed 12 cheating charges involving nearly $61,000.

In 2019 and 2020, he allegedly committed multiple counts of cheating linked to a company called Vendshare that dealt with vending machines.

There were 12 alleged victims and around $60,800 was involved.

The amounts ranged between $1,000 and $13,900 per person.

Between Aug 25 and Dec 25, 2019, Ng, 51, who is a former director at the firm, allegedly cheated a man by duping him into believing the payments made to Vendshare were for the co-ownership of coffee vending machines.

According to court documents, Ng purportedly dishonestly induced him to make payments totalling $2,500 to Vendshare.

Ng also allegedly cheated 11 other people by using a similar method.

One of the men, who was purportedly duped between November 2019 and June 2020, was allegedly cheated of the largest amount — $13,900.

On Feb 7, the court heard that Ng is not pleading guilty, and his case will be mentioned again on March 7.

For each count of cheating, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

[[nid:709104]]

Ng made the headlines in December 2024 as he was linked to the death of a 46-year-old woman who killed herself after coming under financial stress, in part because she was dealing with two lawsuits Ng had initiated against her.

On Dec 12, 2024, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda ruled Geno Ong Kay Yong's death on Sept 6 that year a suicide.

No foul play was suspected.

Ng was also in the news earlier when a district court dismissed an application he filed with his wife for former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng to take down an allegedly defamatory Facebook post.

The application was part of a civil defamation suit the couple and three other claimants — Brad Bowyer, Bevan Tey and Chan Swee Cheong - launched against Cheng over his Facebook post on Covid-19 vaccinations.

Cheng criticised people spreading misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines.

District Judge Chiah Kok Khun dismissed Ng's, Tey's and Chan's defamation suit on grounds they were unidentifiable from Cheng's post.

They were ordered to pay $2,500 plus goods and services tax in costs to Cheng.

[[nid:617756]]

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.