Singapore charges 3 men, 3 firms in $18 million Chinese mattress origin fraud
Synopsis
Singapore has charged three men and three companies for allegedly relabelling Chinese mattresses as Singapore-origin goods to dodge US anti-dumping duties — a scheme that ran for nearly three years and involved goods worth over $23 million. The prosecution is a pointed signal that Singapore will not tolerate its trade infrastructure being used as a tariff-evasion conduit.
Key Takeaways
Three individuals — Loh Yew Kong , Leong Yu Fong , and Loh Chen Sing Darren — and three companies have been charged in Singapore .
The alleged scheme ran from August 2022 to June 2025 , involving goods valued at more than $23 million (approximately $18 million ).
China-made mattresses were allegedly exported to the US under false Singapore-origin declarations to evade US anti-dumping duties in place since 2019 .
Singapore Customs launched its investigation in February 2025 following a tip-off.
Convicted individuals face fines of up to S$100,000 or three times the goods' value, plus up to two years imprisonment.
Singapore has charged three individuals and three companies for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to falsely declare China-made mattresses as Singapore-origin goods, in what authorities describe as a deliberate attempt to evade US anti-dumping duties. The charges follow a Singapore Customs investigation launched in February 2025 after tip-offs about mislabelled exports bound for the United States.
The Accused
The individuals named in the charges are Singaporeans Loh Yew Kong, 68, Leong Yu Fong, 41, and Loh Chen Sing Darren, 37. The three companies implicated are Brighture Et Riche, Brighture Et Riche (Int), and Zenova International. Each faces one or more counts relating to false declarations, false statements, and incorrect trade descriptions.
How the Alleged Scheme Worked
According to Singapore Customs, the alleged scheme operated between August 2022 and June 2025, involving goods valued at more than $23 million — approximately $18 million. Mattresses manufactured in China were reportedly exported to the US under documentation falsely certifying them as Singapore-origin products, effectively circumventing US anti-dumping duties that have applied to Chinese mattresses since 2019.
Those duties were introduced after the US Commerce Department determined that Chinese mattress exporters were selling products in the American market at unfairly low prices — a finding that triggered punitive tariffs designed to level the playing field for domestic US manufacturers.
What Singapore Customs Said
Singapore Customs stated it takes a serious view of false trade declarations and the misuse of Certificates of Origin. Officials warned that such practices undermine the integrity of international trade documentation and risk damaging Singapore's standing as a trusted global trading hub. The case is one of the more significant origin-fraud prosecutions the city-state has pursued in recent years.
Penalties the Accused Face
Under Singapore law, individuals convicted of making false declarations under the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act can face fines of up to S$10,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. Those found guilty of making false statements while applying for Certificates of Origin face steeper consequences: a fine of up to S$100,000 or three times the value of the goods involved — whichever is higher — along with possible imprisonment of up to two years.
Broader Context
The case sits within a wider global pattern of trade-origin fraud that has intensified since the US began imposing sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods from 2018 onwards. Third-country transshipment and false origin declarations have emerged as recurring enforcement challenges for customs agencies across Southeast Asia, with Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia all having dealt with similar allegations in recent years. Notably, this prosecution signals that Singapore is actively policing its own trade infrastructure rather than allowing its free-port reputation to be exploited. The outcome of the trial will be closely watched by trade compliance professionals across the region.
Point of View
The incentive to reroute Chinese goods through third countries has grown sharply, and Singapore — precisely because of its credibility — has become an attractive label to forge. The fact that this scheme allegedly ran for nearly three years before charges were filed raises questions about how early the warning signs appeared and whether Certificates of Origin are being audited with sufficient frequency. Singapore's prosecution is the right move, but the city-state's long-term credibility depends on whether enforcement becomes systematic rather than reactive.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Singapore mattress origin fraud case about?
Three Singaporean men and three companies have been charged for allegedly falsely declaring Chinese-made mattresses as Singapore-origin goods to evade US anti-dumping duties. The alleged scheme ran from August 2022 to June 2025 and involved goods worth more than $23 million.
Why were US anti-dumping duties imposed on Chinese mattresses?
The US Commerce Department imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese mattresses in 2019 after determining that Chinese exporters were selling products in the American market at unfairly low prices. The duties were designed to protect US domestic manufacturers from below-cost competition.
Who are the individuals and companies charged in Singapore?
The three individuals charged are Loh Yew Kong (68), Leong Yu Fong (41), and Loh Chen Sing Darren (37). The companies charged are Brighture Et Riche, Brighture Et Riche (Int), and Zenova International. All face charges related to false declarations and incorrect trade descriptions.
What penalties do the accused face under Singapore law?
Under the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act, individuals can face fines of up to S$10,000 and up to two years in prison for false declarations. For false statements in Certificate of Origin applications, the fine rises to S$100,000 or three times the value of the goods — whichever is higher — plus possible imprisonment of up to two years.
Why does Singapore treat trade origin fraud so seriously?
Singapore Customs has stated that false trade declarations and misuse of Certificates of Origin undermine international trade documentation integrity and risk damaging Singapore's reputation as a trusted global trading hub. The city-state's economic model depends heavily on that reputation.
