AMLC launches probe into laundering of Anson Que ransom
Reuters file photo
MANILA, Philippines — The Antimoney Laundering Council (AMLC) said on Monday it was cooperating with the police and regulators to investigate the laundering of ransom money in the kidnapping of slain Chinese-Filipino businessman Anson Tan, also known as Anson Que.
In a statement, AMLC said the probe was meant to ensure that the Philippines does not become a conduit for illicit activities.
The country exited the global dirty money “gray list” last February after three years of being under increased monitoring of global watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
AMLC also said it was coordinating with foreign financial intelligence units to gather more information on the movement of the ransom funds.
“The AMLC is actively collaborating with the PNP (Philippine National Police) to gather evidence on the unlawful activities, tracing the ransom funds in all their forms, and pursuing forfeiture proceedings,” the council said.
“The investigation extends beyond the kidnappers who directed the ransom payment process. It also targets casino players within these junket operations who initially received the ransom funds via their e-wallets,” it added.
READ: PNP nabs 11 as cash tied to Que kidnapping intercepted at Cebu airport
Conduits
The PNP identified White Horse Club and 9 Dynasty Group as the two casino junket operators whose e-wallet accounts had been used as conduits for approximately P200-million ransom money paid by the family of Que. The funds were originally paid in Philippine peso and US Dollars, but were later converted to cryptocurrency.
READ: $1.36M of Que ransom cashed out via Cambodia-based pay service
The police said bulk of the cash had been withdrawn using a cryptocurrency account in Huione Pay, a Cambodia-based financial company that’s facing blacklisting risks in the US over its alleged role in laundering of dirty money from cyber heists and online scams.
Que and his driver, Armanie Pabillo, were last seen alive at his office in Valenzuela City on March 29. They were killed in a house in Bulacan on April 8 and recovered in a grassy area along a road in Rizal on April 9.
Lawmakers had warned that the routing of ransom funds posed a serious national threat to the Philippines.
