KONG HEE GETS SENTENCE CUT TO 3½ FROM 8 YEARS JAIL, OTHER SENTENCES REDUCED

City Harvest Church founder and senior pastor Kong Hee has been given a 3½ year jail sentence, a reduction from his original 8 year sentence. The other 5 church leaders who helped orchestrate a defrauding of church monies also had their sentences reduced.

6 church leaders, including Kong Hee, were in court today to hear the outcome of their appeal against their convictions and sentences after being found guilty in October 2015 of misappropriating about $50 million of church funds.

Former fund manager Chew Eng Han had his six-year sentence lowered three years and fourth months, while deputy pastor Tan Ye Peng had his original five-and-a-half-year sentence cut to three years and two months.

Former finance committee member John Lam Leng Hung’s three-year sentence was halved to one year and six months.

Former finance manager Sharon Tan Shao Yuen had her 21-month jail sentence lowered to seven months.

Former finance manager Serina Wee Gek Yin’s original five-year sentence was halved to two years and six months.

The City Harvest trial is the largest amount of charity funds ever misappropriated in Singapore. The money was used to bankroll the secular music career of Kong Hee’s wife, Sun Ho, without the knowledge of the congregation which is made up of tens of thousands of worshippers who donated millions of dollars to the church.

In an attempt to cover up the misappropriation, millions were replaced through a series of sham investments and shady transactions.