Former Marine Life Aquaculture Director accused of stealing $250,000 from AVA

A former managing director of Marine Life Aquaculture made fraudulent equipment reimbursement claims to obtain S$246,400 in funding support from the then-Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

Tan Chee Boon, aged 47, was charged with fraud and forgery on Friday (14 October).

The funds were from two AVA-administered schemes that helped Singaporean farmers purchase equipment to boost agricultural output.

Police said in a news release on Friday that in 2015, Tan got S$35,000 from the Food Fund to reimburse Marine Life Aquaculture for allegedly purchased equipment.

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In September and October of 2016, he reportedly deceived AVA by dishonestly concealing the fact that the equipment had not been procured.

Tan allegedly submitted bogus quotes from a putative overseas company in 2016 in order to obtain clearance for financing support of up to S$1.4 million from the Agriculture Productivity Fund.

Under the approved funding support, he is accused of defrauding AVA of S$211,400 in 2017 to reimburse Marine Life Aquaculture for equipment that the company did not purchase.

Tan could be imprisoned for up to three years and/or fined for cheating.

If convicted of forgery with the intent to defraud, Tan could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine.

Cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a fine.