Three men and three companies in Singapore face charges for allegedly falsely declaring China-made mattresses as goods of Singapore origin to avoid US import duties. The accused individuals are Singaporeans Loh Yew Kong, Leong Yu Fong, and Loh Chen Sing Darren, along with companies Brighture Et Riche, Brighture Et Riche (Int), and Zenova International. Singapore Customs initiated investigations in February 2025 after receiving information that mattresses exported to the US were misrepresented as Singaporean but were actually from China.
The alleged scheme, which ran from August 2022 to June 2025, involved goods worth over $23 million. During a period when Chinese mattresses faced US anti-dumping duties, these mattresses were exported to the US. The US Commerce Department had imposed these duties in 2019 due to Chinese exporters selling products at unfairly low prices in the American market.
Authorities in Singapore emphasized the seriousness of false trade declarations and misuse of Certificates of Origin, highlighting the potential damage to the country’s reputation as a trusted global trading hub. The accused individuals and companies are facing charges related to false declarations, false statements, and incorrect trade descriptions under Singapore law.
Those convicted of making false declarations or statements under the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act in Singapore could be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to two years, or both. Moreover, individuals found guilty of making false statements while applying for Certificates of Origin may face fines of up to S$100,000 or three times the value of the goods involved, along with a possible two-year imprisonment.
