Kim Wong is common link of personalities in money laundering case

With the ongoing investigation into the $81-million Bangladesh bank heist, several personalities were named and one name seems to link them, Kim Wong.

A report by Jam Sisante on GMA-7’s “24 Oras” on Wednesday said Wong, a junket operator, is acquainted with former RCBC Jupiter Branch manager Maia Deguito, RCBC president on leave Lorenzo Tan, businessman William So Go, luxury car dealer Jayson Go, junket operator Gao Shuhua, gambler Weikang Xu, casino high roller Ding Zhizhe, and Michael "Concon" Bautista of Philippines Remittances Ltd. (Philrem).

Wong is the president and general manager of Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company Limited, a company organized in Hong Kong and operating at the Cagayan Economic Processing Zone. 

During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Tuesday, Wong said he was the one who introduced Deguito to Gao to open four bank accounts for Zhizhe. 

The money that was deposited turned out to be stolen from the Bangladesh Central Bank account in New York. The amount was then transferred and consolidated in an account under the name, William Go.

Wong said he did not know the names used to open the bank accounts. He admitted though that he knows Bautista of Philrem.

Bautista was said to be the one who exchanged the money from dollars to peso and delivered the cash to Wong and Xu.

Wong said it was Deguito who got the money from Philrem for the transaction.

Deguito, meanwhile, revealed that Wong is also close to Tan and Jayson Go.

A photo obtained by GMA News shows Tan, Jayson Go, and Senator JV Ejercito together. Ejercito is a member of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that is investigating the money laundering case.

Ejercito admitted that he knows Jayson Go because he bought a car from him. He added that many people take photos with him.

Senator Serge Osmeña, on the other hand, said the money laundering scheme wouldn’t be done without the blessing of high-ranking officials of the RCBC.

“I believe there are higher officials involved because it is impossible that somebody will trust $950 million to just one branch manager,” he said.

Wong admitted that he met Tan during social events. But he denied that the RCBC president on leave is involved in the scheme.

“Iginagarantiya ng buong buhay ko, wala siyang alam dito,” Wong told Ejercito.
RCBC said they are conducting their own investigation.

While Wong’s statements are important, the senators said these do not seem to match with the testimonies of Deguito and Philrem.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Senator TG Guingona said they need one or two more sessions to clarify issues.

“There are new issues, and there are new confrontations na kailangan i-reconcile natin. Kailangan ng isa pang hearing or two more hearing until we come up with enough evidence,” he said. — Trisha Macas, BAP, GMA News