Singaporean dealer Clement Lee jailed for 9+ years for $5M customs fraud via under-declared car values.

Singaporean car dealership director Clement Lee, 44, was sentenced to over nine years in prison for evading more than $5 million in customs duties and $39 million in Additional Registration Fees by under-declaring the values of 2,523 imported vehicles from 2016 to 2022. He pleaded guilty to eight charges of fraud and was also given a 12-month sentence for ARF underpayment. Authorities said he directed overseas suppliers to lower invoice values and used remittance houses to hide the true costs. His employee, Sim Yan Mi, 41, was fined $6.8 million and sentenced to 72 months in jail for aiding the scheme. Lee must repay the outstanding ARF amount.