Kim Wong turns over $4.6 million to Bangko Sentral for safekeeping

The camp of businessman Kam Sin “Kim” Wong on Thursday handed over to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) the $4.6 million he volunteered to return to the Bangladesh government, supposedly after learning that the money was part of the $81-million money laundering scheme.

"We completed the turnover, including the counting of the bills and the verification of the bills.... [We] can say that the promise of Mr. Kim Wong has been fulfilled," said Wong's lawyer Attorney Inocencio Ferrer on GMA News TV's "State of the Nation."

Bangladesh Ambassador John Gomes expressed optimism that more of the stolen funds would be recovered.

"We are hopeful that the rest of the money should be accounted for," Gomes said in Sandra Aguinaldo's report.

AMLC Executive Director Julia Bacay-Abad is expected to issue a statement on the development.

Debt payment

Wong earlier claimed that he accepted the money as debt payment and investment from a couple of big time rollers, not knowing it was part of the funds stolen from the account of the Bangladesh Bank with the US Federal Reserve.

Wong is a casino junket operator.

During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Tuesday, March 29, Wong said he was willing to return what's left of the money given to him.

He also detailed the supposed breakdown of the stolen $81 million, claiming that P1.365 billion went to Solaire Resort and Casino and P1 billion went to Midas Hotel and Casino.

Wong said he also received P100 million which was personally delivered to him by sacked Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Jupiter branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito, and Philrem Service Corp. Treasurer Michael “Concon” Bautista.

There was also some P300 million and $5 million he personally fetched from the Bautista residence. All of which total around $64 million. The remaining $17 million, Wong claimed, is still with Philrem.

“I would like to deny the $17 million is with us,” Concon told the Senate blue ribbon committee in response. – VDS/NB, GMA News