Case in relation to laundering of bribes received by a foreign politically exposed person (Singapore, Bangladesh and United States)

The legal basis for asset confiscation in the country of asset location (Singapore) was a disposal inquiry arising from domestic intelligence.

The legal basis for international cooperation was also disposal in accordance to provisions under Criminal Procedure Code of Singapore.

The date of confiscation order was April 2010 in the United States. The order was enforced in 2013 in Singapore.

Other specific factors that helped make the asset return possible in this case were that although the foreign politically exposed persons were never convicted of the bribery charges in the courts of Bangladesh, the United States authorities were able to file a civil asset forfeiture complaint against the accused's assets in Singapore and obtained a Default Judgment and Judgment of Forfeiture on his Singapore assets.

The United States and Bangladesh authorities then issued a Draft Joint Request, to request Singapore to enforce the forfeiture order and repatriate the forfeited sum to Bangladesh directly to aid in its anti-corruption efforts. Singapore ultimately acceded to the request. The US Civil forfeiture order was enforced in the Singapore courts and the monies (S$2,066,328) were returned to Bangladesh. Separately, arising from domestic investigations, the Singapore authorities recovered a further S$1,180,111 of assets linked to the foreign politically exposed person and obtained a Court order to dispose of the seized sum by returning it to Bangladesh.