Singaporean politician accused of pocketing insurance money

Singaporean lawyer and politician Lim Tean has been charged with criminal breach of trust as an attorney for allegedly pocketing an insurance payout meant for a client. Lim was also accused of refusing to answer a police officer.

According to a report by Channel News Asia, Lim, 57, was accused of misappropriating SG$5,500, which was paid out by AXA Insurance on April 3, 2020, which constituted criminal breach of trust. The money was intended for a woman he represented.

Lim also received a second charge of refusing to answer a public servant authorised to question. He allegedly refused to answer questions on June 10 at the Commercial Affairs Department about a case from October 2017, which involved him being paid US$50,000 by a certain person, the report said.

Lim, who founded the Peoples Voice political party in 2018, now faces a total of seven charges, including a previous criminal breach of trust for allegedly misappropriating SG$30,000 awarded to a former client as a civil suit settlement. Other charges include accusations of stalking a former employee and practising law without a valid certificate. Lim previously said that the charges against him were “politically motivated”.