Govt seeks to forfeit over RM500,000 seized by MACC in online gambling case

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is seeking to forfeit more than half a million ringgit from businessman Alvin Goh and Alyaa Syuhaila Mohamad Shariff, the wife of businessman "Datuk" Addy Kana, along with three entities over allegations that the monies were profits from illegal crypto trading and online gambling activities.

In notices of motion filed separately, the government named Goh, his two companies, Malaysian House of Internet Sdn Bhd and Networld Computer (KL) Sdn Bhd, Alyaa Syuhaila and Nine Nine International Sdn Bhd - a company where she and her husband sat as directors - as respondents.

According to the court documents, the government sought to retrieve a total of RM60,232.01 via three personal bank accounts (RM42,152.71, RM11,259.84 and RM6,819.46) from Goh alone.

From Alyaa Syuhaila, the government sought to retrieve a total of RM353,723.81 from five accounts; RM127,000, RM71,000 and RM108,577.05 from three Amanah Saham Bumiputera accounts; RM26,343.43 and RM20,803.33 from two Maybank accounts.

It also sought RM75,846.82 from Nine Nine International, RM10,588.94 from the Malaysian House of Internet and RM16,721.75 from Networld Computer.

The forfeiture application was filed on grounds that the monies, seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), were obtained from illegal activities which were online gambling and cryptocurrency trading without a licence, an offence under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).

The High Court fixed Dec 29 for case management for parties to inform Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan on the status of a gazette on the forfeiture for third parties.

The notice in the gazette is to invite third parties to appear in person or be represented by counsel to contest the forfeiture action before a hearing.

This is for the third parties to show cause why the properties should not be forfeited.

During the proceeding on Thursday (Oct 28), Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib appeared for the prosecution.

Goh was represented by lawyer Lim Jin Wen while Alyaa Syuhaila was represented by lawyer Effa Azuin Aidrul Hisyam.

Goh, who was in the news earlier this year for fleeing the MACC headquarters by climbing over a fence, and Addy Kana, or his birth name Zaidi Kanapiah, were investigated by the anti-graft agency for alleged involvement in Macau scam and illegal online gambling.