SINGAPORE – A former Singapore Management University (SMU) associate director was on Tuesday (March 23) charged with accepting $472,000 in bribes.

Christopher Tan Toh Nghee had allegedly accepted illegal funds from three men to advance their business interests with the university between August 2017 and November 2019.

The 43-year-old faces 50 charges for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The three men, who were also charged on Tuesday, are International Alliance Marketing director Kenneth Lum Hsien Loong, CJ Synergy director Cher Kheng Than and Assetualize managing director Jeffery Long Chee Kin.

Lum faces 35 charges for offering the bribes, while Long and Cher face eight and seven charges respectively for such offences.

Tan and Cher also each face one charge of giving false information to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and one charge of intentionally obstructing the course of justice.

According to court documents, Tan had allegedly given false information to CPIB officers that the money given to him by Cher was for the repayment of a loan.

Tan also allegedly deleted an electronic note from his mobile phone that contained records of the payments he had received and expected to receive from Lum, Cher and Long.

Cher had allegedly deleted WhatsApp chat logs with Tan and an electronic note from his phone that contained records of payments he gave to Tan.

All four will return to court on April 20.

The Straits Times has contacted SMU for comments on the case.

For each count of corruption, offenders can be jailed for up to five years or fined up to $100,000, or both.

For giving false information relating to corruption offences, a person may be jailed for up to a year or fined up to $10,000, or both.

A person convicted of intentionally obstructing the course of justice can be jailed for up to seven years or fined, or both.

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