City Harvest Church founder faces the music

StarshipTroopers · Aug 14, 2014

City Harvest trial: Kong Hee wanted to recoup church's investment in wife's music career

Published on Aug 12, 2014 8:42 PM

City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee said in court on Tuesday, Aug 12, 2014, that he had done his best to make sure the church could recover money it had invested in his wife Ho Yeow Sun's music career. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Feng Zengkun

SINGAPORE - City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee said in court on Tuesday that he had done his best to make sure the church could recover money it had invested in his wife Ho Yeow Sun's music career.

This included making sure that the budget for her foray into the United States music scene was not too excessive, questioning American producers' profit and loss projections for her debut English album to make sure they were realistic, and replacing noted producers like Haitian hip hop artiste Wyclef Jean when they asked for too much money for their work on the album, said Kong.

Kong and five others face various charges for their part in allegedly misusing some $50 million of church funds to boost Ms Ho's music career, and then to cover this up. City Harvest had invested church funds in bonds issued by music production firm Xtron Productions, Ms Ho's manager at the time. This money was used to finance her foray into the US. The prosecution believes the bonds were shams made to enable the misuse of church funds.

Questioned by his lawyer Edwin Tong, Kong said: "I did my level best to make sure that all of the money being put into the US album would come back. I spent many many hours working on the budgets to ensure the recoverability. Why? Because the church had invested its building fund in Xtron and I wanted to be sure the church suffered no loss."

Mr Tong sought to show that this diligence refuted the prosecution's claim "there was no genuine consideration of the bonds' recoverability", but Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong disagreed.

Mr Ong said it was clear from the prosecution's case that the defendants had not considered whether the church could recover its money when they decided to enter into the bond investments. Mr Tong seemed to be focusing on the period after the church's money had already been invested in the bonds, said Mr Ong.

ShangTsung · Aug 15, 2014

Updated: 08/14/2014 13:33 | By Channel NewsAsia

City Harvest trial: Sun Ho's US album release scuppered by investigations, says Kong Hee

SINGAPORE: Money and effort spent on Sun Ho's debut English album went down the drain after investigations by the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) scuppered plans for its release. That's according to City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee - Ms Ho's husband, and one of six church leaders on trial for alleged misuse of church funds.

Kong told the court on Thursday (Aug 14) that the album was slated for release in the United States on Aug 17, 2010. Her team in America had laid out publicity plans to tie in with her album release. This included pitches to appear on popular television shows such as Gossip Girl, Dancing With the Stars and CSI: New York, as well as features in magazines including Vogue and Marie Claire. She was also supposed to embark on a radio tour, meant to kick off in New York City.

The album release had already been waylaid once - when Ho became critically ill and had to undergo two surgeries for abdominal adhesions, Kong said. After investigations into the church's alleged financial irregularities began in May 2010, the album was never released. Authorities ordered Ms Ho back to Singapore to assist in the investigations, and impounded her passport.

"All the work and money put in over the years (went) down the drain," Kong said. "There was no possibility of any recoverability (of the costs)." Ms Ho's secular pop music career was part of the church's project to evangelise and reach out to non-Christians, and Kong said the scuppered plans meant Indonesian businessman Wahju Hanafi and his family, who were all church members and had pledged support for the project, had to step in and help make good the losses.

The church leaders are accused of misusing millions in church funds to buy sham bonds in two church-linked firms, in order to fund Ms Ho's secular pop music career. One of these firms is Xtron, her former artiste management firm.

Kong went as far as to say that the church and Xtron had a symbiotic relationship and shared a common vision. However, he emphasised that both were independent entities, and Xtron directors would have to apply independent thinking to decisions that concerned the needs of the church.

Kong reiterated his stand that he had always instructed his team to run the church's transactions by lawyers and auditors before proceeding with them. He maintained that this was also done for the bond transactions involved in the charges, and he was assured that all the transactions were legal.

However, the court heard that in the course of CAD investigations, Kong had met two of the church's lawyers together with his co-accused. At this meeting, which took place on Jun 1, 2010, lawyers told him he had been "negligent and done wrong, and that he should just tell the truth". This left him "shaken to the core", Kong said, and insisted he had always relied on professionals to advise him and the church.

Kong will be cross-examined by his co-accused and the church's former investment manager, Chew Eng Han, on Friday (Aug 15).

- CNA/es/xy

ShangTsung · Aug 15, 2014

Money spent on Sun Ho's American album 'went down the drain', says church founder

Published on Aug 14, 2014 1:47 PM

City Harvest founder Kong Hee leaving the court on Aug 14, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Feng Zengkun

SINGAPORE - Ms Ho Yeow Sun's debut American album was delayed first by critical illness and then by the investigations into financial irregularities within City Harvest Church.

City Harvest founder Kong Hee, one of six defendants facing charges for misuse of church funds, told the court on Thursday how Ms Ho, his wife, had been hospitalised in March 2009 and had to undergo two operations for abdominal adhesions. "She was in critical condition and the whole schedule (for her album) was thrown off," he said.

She eventually recovered, and a new album launch date was set for August 2010, with a major marketing campaign to begin in June that year, Kong said. Her US team had planned to book her for talk show appearances, television shows like Gossip Girl, CSI and Dancing With The Stars, and magazines including Vogue, Glamour and Marie Claire.

But the investigations into the financial irregularities started in May that year, and Ms Ho was recalled to Singapore to help with them. "All the work we had put in, the money we had put in all these years just went down the drain," said Kong.

StarshipTroopers · Aug 16, 2014

Updated: 08/15/2014 14:15 | By Channel NewsAsia

City Harvest trial: Chew says he deferred to Kong on Crossover Project funding

SINGAPORE: City Harvest Church's former Investment Manager Chew Eng Han has been singled out at various points over the course of the hearing as the man who decided to invest in the bonds at the centre of the criminal charges.

But Chew denied this in court on Friday (Aug 15), saying his advice had been sought by his co-accused on the possibility of using building fund monies to finance the church's Crossover Project. He pointed to Senior Pastor Tan Ye Peng as the one who first mooted the idea.

Chew is one of the six church leaders standing trial for allegedly misusing millions of church dollars to fund the secular pop music career of Sun Ho, who is the wife of church founder Kong Hee.

Chew, who is defending himself, pointed out that co-accused and former church board member John Lam had also been in favour of the church funding the project directly. In an email in May 2003, Lam suggested the church openly finance the Crossover Project, so there would be no need for the transfer of funds and other withdrawals. This was a stance Chew said he agreed with, but was not "100 per cent enthusiastic" because he knew it was not Kong's position.

Chew charged that as a senior pastor and "Man of God", Kong should have taken responsibility as a key decision maker for the financing of the Crossover Project. The project was a way for the church to evangelise through Ms Ho's secular pop music.

Over the past week, Kong has described himself as a novice when it came to bond transactions and that he was not skilled in financial instruments. Kong said he wished he could be a "superman" but was busy with overseas church mission projects. He said he was aware of his strengths and weaknesses, and that is why he focused on budgeting, and left financing matters to the experts in his management team which included Chew, and the church's lawyers and auditors.

Chew said this was false - pointing out that while Kong claimed financing matters were difficult to grasp, he appeared to be able to understand how to draw down money and apply it to the Crossover Project."

The court got an insight into the close relationship that Chew and Kong used to have. For example, Chew said he was one of Kong's greatest defenders during the Roland Poon incident and that he had encouraged Ms Ho during that time. Roland Poon was a former church member who alleged in 2003 that church monies were being used for Ms Ho's music career.

Following that, it was Kong's preference to keep the church's financing of the Crossover Project discreet. Kong said if the church was seen to be financing Ms Ho's career, those outside the church would perceive her popularity and success to be "not real", and if she could not be seen as a bona fide secular singer, the Crossover Project would then fail.

Chew claimed he had deferred to Kong's "wisdom and decision" as Senior Pastor, even though he believed the church should fund the project "openly and directly".

The trial resumes on Monday (Aug 18). - CNA/cy/xy

StarshipTroopers · Aug 16, 2014

Album launch delayed by illness and probe: City Harvest founder

Published on Aug 15, 2014 8:31 AM

Ho Yeow Sun, also known as Sun Ho, wife of Kong Hee, founder of City Harvest Church.There were big plans for the launch of Sun Ho's first album in America - from talk show appearances to spots on popular TV shows such as Gossip Girl, CSI and Dancing With The Stars. -- PHOTO: ST

By Feng Zengkun

There were big plans for the launch of Sun Ho's first album in America - from talk show appearances to spots on popular TV shows such as Gossip Girl, CSI and Dancing With The Stars.

Yet, "all the work we had put in, the money we had put in all these years, just went down the drain", said City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee yesterday.

His wife's album, which was supposed to extend the church's reach internationally and attract people to the Gospel through her secular pop music, is still to be launched almost a decade after work began on it.

Ms Ho Yeow Sun, whose stage name is Sun Ho, was hospitalised in March 2009 and had to undergo two operations for abdominal adhesion, said Kong on his fourth day on the stand.

Background story

Kong Hee's key points

CITY Harvest Church (CHC) founder Kong Hee and five others face various charges for their part in allegedly misusing around $50 million of church funds to boost Ms Ho Yeow Sun's music career and then to cover it up.

The trial is expected to heat up today when the church's former investment manager, Chew Eng Han, who is representing himself, cross-examines Kong.

Since taking the stand on Monday, Kong has been answering questions set by his lawyer, Mr Edwin Tong. Here are some of the key points he made over the four days:

CHECKS, CHECKS AND MORE CHECKS

Kong insisted that he and the other defendants had repeatedly sought and received assurance from lawyers and auditors that transactions at the heart of the trial were all above board. Pointing to meetings set up with auditor Foong Daw Ching, Kong said: "If I have committed fraud, corruption and forgery, why would I want to see him?"

CHURCH BEFORE SUN HO'S CAREER

Kong said he put the church's interest before the project to launch his wife's music career in the United States.

"If Sun (Ho) was able to succeed in the US, then... every continent would be open to her and... to CHC's missions," he said.

But he ensured costs were kept manageable. "The church has invested its building fund (in the album)... and I wanted to be sure the church will suffer no loss..."

PROJECT HAD MEMBERS' SUPPORT

Kong said church members supported the project to use Ms Ho's pop music career as an evangelical tool. "In 2004, we had a service at the Indoor Stadium, and the entire congregation, about 10,000, prayed for Sun and blessed her as she embarked on her crossover into the US."

DISCOMFORT OVER CHINA WINE

Ms Ho's China Wine single enjoyed chart success but some criticised it for being risque. Kong admitted he and his wife were uncomfortable when Grammy-winning artist Wyclef Jean switched her to a fusion of Asian music and reggae because her previous songs sounded too "white".

FENG ZENGKUN

StarshipTroopers · Aug 16, 2014

City Harvest trial: 5 things about controversial China Wine song

Published on Aug 15, 2014 2:20 PM

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By Lyn Chan

China Wine has resurfaced. Not the alcoholic beverage but the English single by Ms Ho Yeow Sun. You know the one: The video has images of her gyrating furiously to the music in a low-cut, midriff-baring top and nothing shorts.

When the video made its rounds on social media in 2012 after news of the fund-misuse charges against City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee - Ho's husband - and five other church leaders broke, the local netizen community went wild. But not in a good way. Horror, scorn and disdain were the primary reactions; at their mildest, puzzlement and scepticism at how such a song could help spread the gospel.

On Aug 12, Kong, who faces three charges of criminal breach of trust for allegedly misusing church funds, took the stand. While outlining the plan to break Ms Ho into the US music market as part of a church effort to evangelise using her pop music, revelations about the provocative China Wine single surfaced:

1. In 2006, Wyclef Jean, a Haitian hip-hop recording artiste, was roped in to help Ms Ho. He suggested doing away with the songs that had already been recorded for her debut English album. The reason? They sounded "too white, Caucasian", and she would not stand out from other singers also trying to make a mark in the United States.

Ms Ho Yeow Sun in the music video for China Wine. -- PHOTO: XTRON

2. Jean recommended that Ms Ho go for a new Asian-Reggae fusion sound. This eventually led to the making of China Wine. The noted music producer had earlier created a similar Latino-Reggae sound with pop star Shakira. The explosive hit Hips Don't Lie was the result of the collaboration.

3. China Wine was not the only song Jean recorded with Ms Ho. It was just one in a series of 12 to 13 songs.

4. According to Kong, both he and Ms Ho were both "uncomfortable" with China Wine, even though it was deemed a success and the brainchild of Wyclef Jean, as it did not fit the image Ms Ho wanted as a pop artiste. Jean left the project in 2008 after negotiations over his asking price broke down.

5. The album which featured China Wine was supposed to have been publicised on popular TV shows such as Gossip Girl, CSI and Dancing With The Stars if its big launch had taken place as originally planned.

StarshipTroopers · Aug 16, 2014

Kong didn't want the Crossover Project to be openly funded by church, alleges ex-treasurer

Published on Aug 15, 2014 2:25 PM

City Harvest Church would have openly and directly funded the Crossover Project if former church investment manager Chew Eng Han had his way. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Feng Zengkun

SINGAPORE - City Harvest Church would have openly and directly funded the Crossover Project if former church investment manager Chew Eng Han had his way.

Chew, who faces six charges of criminal breach of trust and four of falsifying the church's accounts, told the court on Friday that he had deferred to founder Kong Hee's preference to keep the funding discreet so that Kong's wife Ho Yeow Sun would not be dismissed as a gospel singer who needed the church's help to succeed.

The church's Crossover Project was meant to use Ms Ho's pop music to evangelise.

Chew had discharged his lawyer and is now representing himself in the ongoing trial about the alleged misuse of the church's funds to boost Ms Ho's career and then to cover up the deed. Cross-examining Kong, Chew said: "I made it clear that the church should fund the Crossover directly... and I said to you there is nothing wrong with using church funds for the Crossover since it is a church mission, and I preferred the church to fund it openly, but you preferred not to do that." Kong agreed.

Although the church had financed Ms Ho's first two albums, a church member's allegation in 2003 that its building fund had been tapped to do this led to an outcry, as the fund was meant to help City Harvest secure a place of worship. Although the member, Mr Roland Poon, eventually retracted the allegation and apologised, City Harvest board members decided not to finance Ms Ho's future albums directly.

Music production firm Xtron Productions, a company led by church members, eventually became Ms Ho's artist manager, and raised funds by issuing bonds which City Harvest bought. Kong and another defendant, former church board member John Lam Leng Hung, had said Chew was the one who came up with the idea to create Xtron.

Chew denied this on Friday.

StarshipTroopers · Aug 19, 2014

Kong Hee: I'm not Superman

Ronald Loh The New Paper Monday, Aug 18, 2014

I wish I could do everything, but I'm not Superman.

That was what former City Harvest Church (CHC) board president Kong Hee told the court yesterday when asked whether he should take responsibility for key decisions made by the church.

He told co-accused Chew Eng Han, who was cross-examining him: "I did my level best... I know my strength and my weaknesses. I'm not a perfect man. No one is."

Kong, Chew and four other CHC leaders are accused of misusing more than $50 million of church money through sham bonds.

Former CHC fund manager Chew, who is representing himself, quit the church last year.

Yesterday, Chew cross-examined his former spiritual mentor and the man who founded the megachurch that he joined in 1995. The exchange between the two men, who have known each other for at least two decades, drew many disagreements.

For example, when Kong claimed the key decision-makers for the financing of the Crossover Project were the Xtron directors, Chew said: "I'll submit to you... that is a false statement."

He also asserted that Kong, who he said was the originator of the church's vision, its senior pastor and "a man of God", should shoulder responsibility.

Kong said he disagreed as he was not adept in "financial instruments or financing" and hence left such decisions to others. "I wish I could do everything, and be... Superman, but I was working very, very hard in the mission field.

"It is very difficult for one man to make all the decision (sic), even though I wish that I could make all of them."

Chew also asked Kong whether he was the one who decided on the finalised amount of funds required for Ho's English album. "By the time the final figures went to Xtron directors, in substance, it was already well decided. Do you agree?" Kong disagreed.

But there were also occasions when both men could see eye to eye.

At one point, Chew asked, based an e-mail presented in court, whether the idea of tapping into the church's building fund originated from CHC deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, not Chew himself.

Kong said yes.

The two men also agreed on Chew's point that "although all conspiracies are done in secrecy, when you see secrecy, it doesn't mean there is a conspiracy".

Chew also shared that he supported Kong during troubled periods, such as January 2003, when former church-goer Roland Poon flagged concerns about the misuse of church funds among other allegations.

There was much unrest in the church then, said Kong.

'HE STOOD BY KONG'

Chew said he was asked by Kong to meet with Mr Poon, who eventually retracted the allegation and apologised. He added that he stood by Kong as one his two "greatest fighters" then.

"You even related to leaders how the words that I related to Sun (Ho) actually set her free from depression," he said.

Kong replied: "It encouraged her, for sure."

But the state of their relationship now was most telling when Kong said: "I believe that (Chew) Eng Han, in those days, would never harm the church in any way."

Yesterday's proceedings was also characterised by Chew constantly being interrupted by the other defence lawyers.

Chew said he had given his former lawyer - Senior Counsel Michael Khoo, whom he discharged in May - many instructions that were not carried out during the previous tranches.

"I accepted his advice, because he said: 'Don't do it now, do it when you're on the defence stand.' That's what I knew to be the right way.

"Now I see a few counsel telling me: "You should have done this, you should have done that.' I'm put in a difficult position." He will continue with his cross-examination of Kong on Monday.

StarshipTroopers · Aug 19, 2014

Album launch delayed by illness and probe: City Harvest founder

Feng Zeng Kun The Straits Times Sunday, Aug 17, 2014

THERE were big plans for the launch of Sun Ho's first album in America - from talk show appearances to spots on popular TV shows such as Gossip Girl, CSI and Dancing With The Stars.

Yet, "all the work we had put in, the money we had put in all these years, just went down the drain", said City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee yesterday.

His wife's album, which was supposed to extend the church's reach internationally and attract people to the Gospel through her secular pop music, is still to be launched almost a decade after work began on it.

Ms Ho Yeow Sun, whose stage name is Sun Ho, was hospitalised in March 2009 and had to undergo two operations for abdominal adhesion, said Kong on his fourth day on the stand.

"She was in critical condition and the whole schedule (for her album) was thrown off," said the 49-year-old, who is facing three charges of criminal breach of trust in relation to allegedly misusing the church's money to fund his wife's career.

She eventually recovered and a new launch date was set for August 2010, with a major marketing campaign to begin in June in the same year, Kong said. But investigations for the ongoing trial started in May that year.

Ms Ho had to return to Singapore to assist in investigations.

City Harvest had financed the United States foray by buying bonds issued by Xtron Productions, the firm managing Ms Ho's career at the time. But the prosecution believes Xtron is a shell company controlled by the defendants through puppet directors.

Kong admitted yesterday that there was a close, symbiotic relationship between the church and Xtron, which had church members as its directors. This includes Xtron offering the church "better than market rates" for various services.

But despite this, the two were independent of each other, he said. "Xtron directors... apply their independent thinking to see how they can best serve the needs of the church while existing as a separate company."

Kong also pressed the point that while he was aware of the various transactions which the prosecution has labelled as shams, he was in America most of the time to keep tabs on the budget for his wife's album.

So he left the details of transactions to others in the church, such as former church investment manager Chew Eng Han and deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, two of the six accused in this case.

Kong, who also told the court that he relied on lawyers and auditors to vet the deals, said: "I would have asked Chew and Tan half a dozen times whether (the Xtron bonds) were legal."

Kong Hee's key points

CITY Harvest Church (CHC) founder Kong Hee and five others face various charges for their part in allegedly misusing around $50 million of church funds to boost Ms Ho Yeow Sun's music career and then to cover it up.

The trial is expected to heat up today when the church's former investment manager, Chew Eng Han, who is representing himself, cross-examines Kong.

Since taking the stand on Monday, Kong has been answering questions set by his lawyer, Mr Edwin Tong. Here are some of the key points he made over the four days:

CHECKS, CHECKS AND MORE CHECKS

Kong insisted that he and the other defendants had repeatedly sought and received assurance from lawyers and auditors that transactions at the heart of the trial were all above board.

Pointing to meetings set up with auditor Foong Daw Ching, Kong said: "If I have committed fraud, corruption and forgery, why would I want to see him?"

CHURCH BEFORE SUN HO'S CAREER

Kong said he put the church's interest before the project to launch his wife's music career in the United States.

"If Sun (Ho) was able to succeed in the US, then... every continent would be open to her and... to CHC's missions," he said.

But he ensured costs were kept manageable. "The church has invested its building fund (in the album)... and I wanted to be sure the church will suffer no loss..."

PROJECT HAD MEMBERS' SUPPORT

Kong said church members supported the project to use Ms Ho's pop music career as an evangelical tool.

"In 2004, we had a service at the Indoor Stadium, and the entire congregation, about 10,000, prayed for Sun and blessed her as she embarked on her crossover into the US."

DISCOMFORT OVER CHINA WINE

Ms Ho's China Wine single enjoyed chart success but some criticised it for being risque.

Kong admitted he and his wife were uncomfortable when Grammy-winning artist Wyclef Jean switched her to a fusion of Asian music and reggae because her previous songs sounded too "white".

This article was first published on August 15, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

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StarshipTroopers · Aug 19, 2014

Ex-treasurer grills church founder

Feng Zengkun The Straits Times Monday, Aug 18, 2014

It was like watching a break-up between two long- time buddies.

Former City Harvest treasurer Chew Eng Han recounted in court yesterday how he stuck by the church's founder Kong Hee in his time of need, after a member complained that funds were being used to bankroll the secular music career of Kong's wife Ho Yeow Sun.

Now that both men are facing charges over the misuse of around $50 million of the church's money, he asked the pastor why he was now saying he had limited knowledge of the way the church funded his wife's career.

"As originator of the Crossover Project, senior pastor of City Harvest Church and a man of God, wouldn't it be responsible and right for you to take responsibility as the key decision-maker for the financing of the project?" Chew, who is representing himself, asked Kong. The 49-year-old, who has been on the stand all this week, answered: "I wish I could do everything and be a Superman... But the church is so big. It is very difficult for one man to make all the decisions."

Kong, Chew and four others face various charges for their part in allegedly misusing some $50 million in church funds to boost Ms Ho's pop career, and then to cover up the deed.

Kong has testified that while he did oversee the budget for Ms Ho's American album, part of the Crossover Project's aim to evangelise through her secular music, he left the details on how the money was raised and channelled to others, including Chew.

But the church's former treasurer alleged yesterday that Kong knew more than he was letting on. He told the court how he advised the pastor to be upfront about how his church was funding the project.

Instead, Kong pushed for secrecy, he said. This eventually led to the use of church-linked Xtron Productions in 2003 to manage Ms Ho's career. The church then bought bonds in the company, which the prosecution allege was a shell to enable the misuse of the church's money.

Chew added how the pastor had said during a church meeting in 2007 that City Harvest's investments should be "kept at the top, top confidentiality level". He also tried to show how another defendant, deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, was the one who suggested lending part of the church's building fund to Xtron to finance the Crossover Project.

He showed the court an e-mail in which Tan had suggested a plan for City Harvest to lend $2.5 million of its building fund to Xtron. The e-mail was dated two months before Xtron issued its bonds.

The prosecution believes the bond issue was a sham to hide the illegal use of church funds for the project.

StarshipTroopers · Aug 19, 2014

Updated: 08/18/2014 14:27 | By Channel NewsAsia

City Harvest trial: Kong knew Sun Ho’s success was not real, Chew says

SINGAPORE: City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee had “shortchanged the faith of the church members” because he knew that his wife Sun Ho’s secular music success was not real, the church’s former investment manager Chew Eng Han said in court on Monday (Aug 18).

Chew and Kong are among six church leaders standing trial for allegedly using millions of church dollars to buy sham bonds to bankroll Ms Ho's pop music career.

Chew, who is defending himself, continued his cross-examination of Kong. He accused Kong of lying to church members about Ms Ho's achievements, all the while knowing that they were shelling out their own money to boost her CD sales. Chew on Monday produced a slew of emails and documents to bolster his claims.

He said he had trusted the church's leadership and believed in the Crossover Project from the beginning, but a series of discoveries in 2013 led him to discover that the project "was not what it is supposed to be".

'FAKE' COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS AND ITUNES SALES?

For example, Chew called a commemorative series of stamps in China featuring Ms Ho a "scam" and nothing more than "personalised stamps anybody could go to a post office and pay for". Kong refuted this claim, saying that the stamps were presented at a genuine ceremony attended by officials.

Chew also revealed how church members spent thousands on iTunes gift cards to boost sales of Ms Ho's US single, Fancy Free. Kong refuted this, saying that the money came from private donations, and was not meant to boost sales of the single. "It was a marketing strategy to create momentum for the launch of her single," Kong said, adding that the US Billboard Dance chart does not depend on sales.

Chew also charged that Ms Ho's fan base was, in reality, smaller than what Kong allowed church members to believe. He said that what Kong told the church about Ms Ho singing the theme song at the 2007 Special Olympics, and how she had been given a special commemorative series of stamps by organisations in China, were all "false claims".

Chew said these successes led him to believe returns could be generated from Ms Ho's planned US debut album. The album was part of the church's Crossover Project, a way of evangelising through secular pop music.

"I'll submit to you that you consciously kept all relevant information away from me so that you could continue to use me to help you do whatever was necessary to help arrange the necessary funding," he said to Kong.

"YOU HAVE BEEN TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE": CHEW TO KONG

Chew added that millions of dollars had gone into the production of songs for the album and asked Kong to account for this expenditure. "You have been totally irresponsible in the spending of the money," he charged. He also denied being part of a conspiracy with Kong and said he himself had been deceived.

Chew insisted that he had created a proper set of bonds that were legally documented. But he said it was how the bond proceeds were used that tainted the transaction and turned them into sham bonds.

He even went as far as to say that the Crossover Project was not about the missions of the church, but that it was a "personal crossover".

Chew told the court he had left the church after realising Kong had "deceived the people closest to him".

He told the court that between 2007 and 2009, church members, including him and his wife, had voluntarily given money to a Multi-Purpose Account, which would be used to support Kong and Ms Ho's livelihood. They did so because they believed in the ministry and partially because Kong and Ms Ho had gone off the church's payroll.

Chew said in 2010, these members were told that there was a deficit in this account and they were asked if they could give more to take care of the deficit. He charged that the deficit had only come about because money had been taken from the account to pay things like royalties and bonuses to Ms Ho. Chew charged that this was kept from the donors who were "closest" to the couple, and their "greatest supporters".

It was also heard that the money from the account could have been used to partially pay the US$20,000 (S$24,900) monthly rent on a house in the US, which was also used as a missions base and dance studio. At one point, Chew also accused Kong of round-tripping in another instance, to get back part of royalties from Kong's materials that had initially been refunded to the church. Kong denied this, saying that this was money given to him by church donors.

KONG WAS INITIALLY WILLING TO "TAKE THE RAP": CHEW

Chew later accused Kong of flipping and turning on his convictions when giving evidence. Chew also said that during the course of investigations, Kong had indicated he was willing to "take the rap" for the matter, after the church's lawyers told him he had been "negligent". Chew said: "I find it very hard to believe that in a few days after the raid, you were totally in fear (such) that you would be willing to take the rap for everybody. And then, somehow the letter did not get to CAD (Commercial Affairs Department) and at the subsequent interviews with the CAD, you started to point the finger at me. That is incongruous, I cannot understand how that can happen."

Kong clarified that he had been worried when investigations commenced, but had not been "in fear". - CNA/cy/ms

StarshipTroopers · Aug 20, 2014

City Harvest trial: Former treasurer Chew Eng Han calls founder Kong Hee a liar

Published on Aug 18, 2014 12:26 PM

Chew Eng Han arriving at the State Courts on 11 Aug 2014. Former City Harvest treasurer Chew Eng Han called Kong Hee, the church founder, a liar in the first five minutes of trial today. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

By Feng Zengkun

SINGAPORE - Former City Harvest treasurer Chew Eng Han called Kong Hee, the church founder, a liar in the first five minutes of trial today

Chew said Kong had lied in statements to the Commercial Affairs Department about Chew's involvement in transactions and Kong's own knowledge of these.

Chew also claimed that the church leadership lied about the Asia achievements of Kong's wife, Ms Ho Yeow Sun.

He said one of Ms Ho's achievements - being part of a stamp series in China - was "a scam".

StarshipTroopers · Aug 20, 2014

Updated: 08/19/2014 14:27 | By Channel NewsAsia

City Harvest trial: Kong did not care about church, Chew says

SINGAPORE: City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee did not love the church and its members, and was not that concerned about it suffering losses, charged its former investment manager Chew Eng Han. Chew made these accusations against Kong in a bid to show he'd been deceived by his "spiritual mentor".

The pair are among six leaders in the dock for allegedly misusing church funds to bankroll the secular pop music career of Kong's wife, Sun Ho.

Wrapping up his cross-examination on Tuesday (Aug 19), Chew said that if Kong truly cared about the church getting back every dollar, he would have tried to salvage the songs that Ms Ho had already recorded for her US debut album. Kong could also have tried to sell the songs’ copyrights, or have Ms Ho return to the US to finish and launch the album, Chew said.

The album was part of the Crossover Project – the church’s way of evangelising through secular pop music. It was shelved after the Commercial Affairs Department launched an investigation into financial irregularities at the church in 2010.

MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT ON CROSSOVER

Chew also charged that Kong could have put his own money into the project, instead of buying personal properties for himself. "During the years of the bonds being issued for the Crossover, from 2007 and 2010, you could have put your own money into the Crossover, instead of buying personal properties for yourself," Chew charged.

Kong said he had "a lot on his plate at the time" - such as performing his spiritual duties - while coping with the investigations and legal proceedings. He admitted that perhaps he could have done more, but did not agree that what Chew put to him was evidence he did not love the church.

Kong also claimed he did not send Ms Ho back because the church needed her. "We had a crisis, we needed the co-founder to be back to calm the people," he added.

Kong said that while the spiritual returns achieved of the Crossover Project were worth the price, he acknowledged that it had put the church and his co-accused persons through painful times. He called the investigations and current trial the "most traumatic event" in the church's history."

"A VERY INTELLIGENT MAN": KONG ON CHEW

The prosecution began its cross-examination of Kong, asking about his relationship with all the accused, including Chew. Calling him a "very intelligent man", Kong said that Chew was his "go-to man" for financial matters concerning the church.

And while he was not as close to Chew as he was to other church leaders, Kong said he did love and appreciate him, as he had been a "very good member of the church".

"I don't think I've been on vacation with him and his family, but his family has joined me for some mission trips. I had dinners in his home on several occasions, but it would not be anywhere ... like my relationship with some of the other leaders in the church that I'm closer to. But I love Eng Han. I appreciated him. He's a very good member of the church - he was", said Kong.

Earlier, Chew also produced documents accusing Kong of inflating church attendance numbers. Kong said it was best for Chew to check with the department in the church that kept track of such numbers. - CNA/cy

StarshipTroopers · Aug 20, 2014

City Harvest trial: Former church treasurer says Sun Ho's music success grossly exaggerated

Published on Aug 18, 2014 2:18 PM

City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee and his wife Ho Yeow Sun outside the State Courts on 8 April 2014. The music success of City Harvest pastor-singer Ho Yeow Sun had been grossly exaggerated, former church treasurer Chew Eng Han said in court on Monday. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee and his wife Ho Yeow Sun outside the State Courts on 8 April 2014. The music success of City Harvest pastor-singer Ho Yeow Sun had been grossly exaggerated, former church treasurer Chew Eng Han said in court on Monday. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

By Feng Zengkun

SINGAPORE - The music success of City Harvest pastor-singer Ho Yeow Sun had been grossly exaggerated, former church treasurer Chew Eng Han said in court on Monday.

Her success was a result of church members spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy her CDs as well as lies about her achievements and awards, said Chew.

Pointing to a raft of e-mail and other documents, Chew said that, contrary to the church's website and Ms Ho's own blog, she had not sung the theme song for the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai.

Referring to another example, Chew said that while Ms Ho, whose stage name is Sun Ho, was supposedly honoured for being the first foreign celebrity to be featured on a special China stamp series, "those stamps are nothing more than personalised stamps that anybody can go to the post office to pay for", Chew said.

He called the supposed honour "a scam" and produced copies of Ms Ho's stamps and others in the China series to show the difference.

Chew said the deception had been to boost confidence in Ms Ho's planned debut American album, which was part of a church-approved Crossover Project to evangelise using her secular music.

Chew, City Harvest founder Kong Hee and four others face various charges for their part in the alleged misuse of some $50 million of church funds to boost Ms Ho's pop music career and then to cover up the deed.

"After a series of discoveries since 2013, I discovered the Crossover was not what it was supposed to be... Many members of City Harvest Church that trusted the leadership took what was told to us at face value. I was one of them," Chew said.

Representing himself, Chew put to Kong, who was taking the stand for the second week: "The real reason the US album was constantly delayed year after year was because you secretly knew Sun's success was not real... You consciously kept all relevant information from me to use me to help you arrange the necessary financing."

Kong strenuously denied the claims. He said he believed that Ms Ho's stamp honour was genuine because there had been a ceremony attended by officials.

He added that while he had not attended the 2007 Special Olympics, he knew Ms Ho had recorded a song, "and there could be more than one theme song".

"I know that Sun recorded a song that was used by the Special Olympics," he said.

As for the claim that members had bought Ms Ho's CDs to boost sales, Kong said some of the purchases were "just to stimulate momentum" and "a norm in the industry".

Other purchases had been paid for by church members who wanted to support Ms Ho. "They gave us the money and we used it for the buying (of) CDs. We didn't buy the CDs as something fake, for every CD we bought, there was an intended recipient," Kong said.

StarshipTroopers · Aug 20, 2014

City Harvest trial: Founder Kong Hee 'not that concerned' that church lost money

Published on Aug 19, 2014 1:19 PM

Kong Hee and his wife Ho Yeow Sun arriving at the Court for the City Harvest Church trial. City Harvest founder Kong Hee did not love his church members and was "not that concerned about the church suffering losses", alleged former church treasurer Chew Eng Han as he completed his cross-examination of Kong on Tuesday. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Feng Zengkun

SINGAPORE - City Harvest founder Kong Hee did not love his church members and was "not that concerned about the church suffering losses", alleged former church treasurer Chew Eng Han as he completed his cross-examination of Kong on Tuesday.

While they have known each other for more than a decade and are both facing charges for the alleged misuse of church funds, Chew has sought to show that he was deceived by his former spiritual mentor.

Chew, who quit the church last year and is representing himself, said that Kong had not bothered to try and recover church funds sunk into his wife Ho Yeow Sun's American music album. The church saw the album as a way to reach out to non-Christians. The album was shelved after investigations into financial irregularities began in 2010.

"If you were (concerned about the church's losses) you would have tried to salvage whatever songs had been recorded and not just write them off," Chew said to Kong, who was taking the stand for the second week. Chew added that Kong could have sent Ms Ho back to the US to launch the album after the investigations started, or tried to sell the recorded songs' copyrights to recoup the church's money. Kong disagreed with all of Chew's claims.

He said that Ms Ho was needed in Singapore as she was City Harvest's co-founder and her presence would "calm the members". "Perhaps I could have done more to liquidate the copyrights... but I had a lot on my plate."

He said: "I had to perform my spiritual duties for the church, defend myself against the investigations first and then the proceedings, I had to raise my own funds for the legal bills and at the same time raise funds in the church... I do not agree that I do not love the church."

Earlier in the day, Chew also claimed that City Harvest attendance figures had been "falsified" and "grossly exaggerated", pointing to Blackberry messages by church members that suggested the actual attendance was around 12,000 weekly and not 28,000. Kong also refuted this, saying that the 12,000 figure referred to cell group leader counts and not total attendance. He referred Chew to a church department that did physical counts during services.

gsh · Aug 20, 2014

This was posted at CHC confessions:

Summary for Kong Hee's testimony on 18 Aug 2014:

Mr Chew Eng Han (CEH) spent considerable time to query Kong Hee on the Irregularities surrounding the Multi-Purpose Account (MPA).

The unsuspecting donors to the MPA were 28 couples and a few individuals handpicked from the inner circle.

The donations were meant for evangelism through Sun's concerts in Asia.

(Note : Our understanding is that the donors' list to MPA was later expanded to include 50 pastoral staff and other staff. They were told to tithe to a Man of God instead of the church or Building Fund)

CEH confronted Kong Hee and said he felt cheated by Kong Hee as Kong Hee presented a fake account on MPA in 2009.

CEH alleged that Kong Hee lied to the donors and proclaimed a lower figure collected than the actual amount donated.

CEH alleged that Kong Hee lied so that he could claim that the donations were not enough as Kong Hee urged the donors to give more.

Kong Hee countered that the amount he presented in 2009 was after paying Sun Ho $400,000 for royalties and salaries.

(In 2009, the average collection in MPA was $1.5mil-2mil.)

Kong Hee chided CEH that only CEH and his wife made an issue
whereas other donors did not say they were disappointed.

Kong Hee further said it is CHC culture not to reveal details.

Kong insisted that MPA is meant not just for the purported crossover but also to cater for Kong Hee's and Sun Ho's livelihood.

Kong Hee also countered that MPA donors were the initiators on the donations and they were all willing donors.

CEH went on to show an email that CHC bought $1 million worth of Kong Hee's products.

Kong Hee insisted that it was the board's decision.

CEH went on to show evidence that Serina Wee used Hanafi's company, (FIRNA) account to refund Kong and CEH sought to prove Kong engineered these financial transactions.

Kong insisted it was Wahju's own initiative that he wanted to bless Kong Hee.

CEH said this is clearly another round-tripping which used CHC funds to purchase FIRNA bonds so as to channel funds to Kong Hee's personal bank account.

Kong disagreed and said it was Wahju's own initiative.

CEH then said the bonds are clean and it was what Kong Hee did with the money that made the bonds sham.

CEH wanted to show Kong Hee preached hard to get the money to pay for the penthouse at Sentosa Cove.

Kong Hee sought to show that he preached a lot on soliciting donations due to his love for mission work to reach out to the unsaved.

CEH rebutted that and said it was for Sentosa Cove and the evidence was in a 4.5hr recording.

CEH alleged that Kong Hee mentioned in the recording that he preached like "siao" because he needed to meet payments for the penthouse at Sentosa Cove.

(CEH wanted to use a 4.5 hour recording but the Judge stopped it as Edwin Tong and Tan Ye Peng's lawyer objected to it repeatedly.)

CEH showed evidence that Serina Wee had Hanafi's (FIRNA) bank account and Kong Hee had control on how to channel monies to Kong Hee's personal bank account via FIRNA's bank account.

Kong Hee denied and said he did not know how Serina Wee had access to Wahju's company bank account.

But the email evidence showed Serina asking permission regarding some funds transfer via FIRNA to Kong Hee's personal bank account.

Kong maintained that he was not sure why Serina Wee would have such access to Wajhu's company's bank account.

Edwin Tong objected as CEH moved on to show evidence that CHC KL was also used by Kong Hee for round tripping.

Kong insisted the refund via CHC KL was an independent action of CHC KL's board.

CEH went on to talk about a confession letter where Jimmy Yim (the previous lawyer) wanted Kong Hee to take the rap.

Kong said he wanted to take the rap but didn't in the end.

CEH insisted Kong Hee never had the intention to take the rap.

CEH also asked Kong Hee to present the confession letter.

CEH went on to ask about the CAD interview with Sun Ho and how Kong Hee lied that it was because of CAD investigations that Sun Ho could not continue with the release of the albums.

CEH said Sun Ho's passport was returned back to her after they put up a bail of $500k with the court.

Kong insisted investigations by CAD was the reason they never continued the release of the albums.

The investigations gave them no morale to continue.

CEH went on to show evidence that Sun Ho knew that Xtron was bankrolled by CHC.

CEH showed emails that Sun Ho was in the loop.

Kong denied and said Sun Ho didn't know.

CEH then showed the email but Kong Hee said Sun Ho might not have read.

(CEH said then I will ask her myself before the court.....)

CEH went on to ask if Kong gave to the Building Fund (BF) or gave tithes to CHC.

Kong replied he gave to MPA.

CEH asked if MPA was for his livelihood then how could he tithe to
himself?

Kong said his tithe was used for crossover.

CEH asked Kong Hee that from 2005-2010 whether Kong Hee gave tithe to CHC or gave to Building Fund (BF).

Kong Hee said he gave to MPA, not tithe to CHC or Building Fund.

CEH then asked in year 2005-2010, there was one year where Kong went on stage and told the members that God spoke to him (Kong Hee) to up the donation amount and he instantly obeyed and changed the amount (on the cheque) on stage.

How come now Kong Hee say he never gave to the Building Fund?

CEH said Kong Hee was acting on stage.

Edwin Tong and Tan Ye Peng's lawyer objected but the Judge ruled in favor of CEH and asked Kong Hee to answer the questions.

Kong said he never pledged any money at that moment but gave an offering, Edwin Tong objected on irrelevance...CEH insisted that what Kong Hee did on stage was an act because there is no record of Kong Hee's pledge or offering (to the BF).

CEH moved on to say crossover is not church mission but Kong Hee's and Sun Ho's personal mission.

Kong insisted 2007,08,09 monies were needed for crossover
So all his tithes and donations to building fund goes to MPA.

For crossover Kong Hee insisted that the money came from MPA and Kong Hee tithed to MPA.

CEH went on to say he didn't have the same ulterior motives as Kong Hee and Tan Ye Peng.

When CEH helped them, he genuinely believed it was God's mission.

CEH went on to show that Kong Hee hired private investigators before the CAD raid in June 2010.

They hired private investigators in March 2010 and they found out all the bloggers' n forumers' identities.

CEH showed blackberry messages that Sun Ho said: "Can we shut the mouths of all these haters? Can we take legal action against them?"

CEH moved on to show emails he sent to Kong Hee and Sun Ho, asking them not to worry about the bloggers and the truth will show we are clean.

CEH was trying to show that his state of mind was that he genuinely believed in the crossover project as mooted by Kong Hee.

The blackberry messages showed Sun Ho was pissed off by the bloggers.

ShangTsung · Aug 21, 2014

Kong decided on 'what money to spend, how much and where it would come from'

Published on Aug 20, 2014 2:08 PM

City Harvest founder Kong Hee was the key decision-maker behind plans to sink church funds into his wife's Ho Yeow Sun's music career in the United States, the prosecution said in court on Wednesday. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Feng Zengkun

SINGAPORE - City Harvest founder Kong Hee was the key decision-maker behind plans to sink church funds into his wife's Ho Yeow Sun's music career in the United States, the prosecution said in court on Wednesday.

They also sought to show that Kong closely supervised the other co-defendants. Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong produced a 2007 e-mail in which Kong had berated Tan Ye Peng for failing to ensure that his wife's China concerts were a success.

"The Beijing and Shanghai events cost us so much money... but at the end, who came? It was a joke!" said Kong in the e-mail. "Time wasted. Efforts wasted. Objectives not met. Money thrown away unnecessarily. I don't get it. How have we become good stewards of money? We tried to save a few thousands on hotels and (threw) hundreds and thousands on result-less concerts."

Kong added: "How I wish I can run the whole show the way I run our church (in) the last 18 years! But I can't... (My wife and I) are putting our lives and destiny at the hands of our disciples, our spiritual children. We hope you guys don't let us down."

While Kong has maintained that he was involved only in the budgeting for the US foray and left the fundraising to others, the prosecution alleged that Kong made decisions about "what money to spend, how much and where it would come from". The prosecution produced statements made by Kong's co-defendants to the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) to bolster the point.

Kong and five others face various charges for their part in the alleged misuse of some $50 million of church funds to boost Ms Ho's music career, and then to cover up the deed. Several of them allegedly got the funds out of City Harvest coffers by investing the money in sham bonds issued by two companies, Xtron Productions and Firna, which were run by church members. Xtron was Ms Ho's artist manager at one time.

While Kong maintained that Xtron directors had to give approval for company transactions to finance her career, statements made by Kong's co-defendants Serina Wee, Chew Eng Han and Tan to the CAD contradicted this, said the prosecution.

According to the three defendants, Xtron directors were "updated" only after Tan, Wee and Kong had made the decisions. "Xtron directors were not actively involved," said Chew in his statement. "Technically they can challenge (the decisions), but they would not because they are doing the right thing by giving their full support," he said.

Kong disagreed. He said that Xtron directors being "updated" meant their approval for the transactions were sought, and in the end it was the directors who had final say over whether the deals were made.

ShangTsung · Aug 21, 2014

Updated: 08/20/2014 14:33 | By Channel NewsAsia

CHC trial: Kong 'evasive' so as not to implicate himself, prosecution charges

SINGAPORE: City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee was being evasive so as not to implicate himself in the bond transactions, the prosecution charged, as it resumed its cross-examination of Kong on Wednesday (Aug 20).

Kong has maintained he was only involved in the budgeting of the Crossover Project, and left the financing of the project to his co-accused Tan Ye Peng and Chew Eng Han.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong asked Kong if that meant he would not be responsible if the bonds then turned out to be an illegal mechanism.

Calling it a "difficult question to answer", Kong said: "Because I am a pastor, and as a shepherd, I want to take responsibility for a whole host of things. They - Ye Peng and Eng Han - have assured me that they have sought out advice from the professionals, so would the professionals be responsible?"

Kong is among six church leaders in the dock for allegedly using church monies to buy sham bonds in two companies - Xtron and Firna - in order to fund the Crossover Project. The project, fronted by Kong’s wife Sun Ho, is the church's way of evangelising through secular pop music.

KONG SUPERVISED TEAM CLOSELY

The prosecution sought to show that Kong was more hands-on in all aspects of the Crossover Project than he let on.

Mr Ong pointed to a lengthy and detailed email Kong wrote to chastise Tan as evidence of how closely he supervised his team, whom he called his "spiritual children". The email addressed issues ranging from unhappiness over the location of the hotel he and Ms Ho were staying at in Hong Kong, to consultants who he felt were not up to standard.

In an email to Deputy Senior Pastor Tan Ye Peng, Kong reprimanded him when promotional efforts of Ms Ho's career in China yielded disappointing results. Kong wished he could run the "whole show" the way he ran the church, but as he could not, he put his and Ms Ho's "lives and destiny in the hands of their disciples and spiritual children" and urged Tan not to let them down.

Mr Ong also said Xtron directors did not make decisions about the budgeting and financing of the Crossover Project, as Kong had claimed. He pointed to portions of statements from Tan, Chew and Serina Wee to the Commercial Affairs Department which contradicted Kong’s claims.

XTRON'S CASHFLOW PROBLEMS

The prosecution said Kong was regularly updated about Xtron's cashflow problems, and would have been the one to approve any solutions to make up the deficit. This would ensure Xtron's cashflow problems did not affect its ability to finance the Crossover Project. Xtron was Ms Ho's artiste management firm at the time.

Mr Ong said: "Xtron's cashflow problems ... ultimately become the Crossover's problems, because it has the potential to derail spending on the Crossover."

Emails revealed that by end-2007, Xtron had a deficit of some S$0.5 million, and that some of the accused, including Kong, had discussed either pumping more of the church's money into Xtron or transferring Xtron's expenses to the church. Eventually, this took the form of the bond transactions at the centre of the criminal charges.

FINANCING NEEDS OF CROSSOVER PROJECT

Mr Ong noted that the proposal to purchase the bonds came about because Kong had tasked Tan and Chew to find a way to finance the needs of the Crossover Project. He also observed that there was "no real assessment of commercial motive on either side, as Xtron would benefit from any accounting adjustments made to allow it to deal with its deficit".

The prosecution charged that the accused would have injected capital into Xtron, regardless of the church having to bear increased expenses. "Whatever financial arrangements needed to be made to capitalise Xtron would be done ... Never mind that the church would end up bearing increased expenses," said Mr Ong.

But Kong argued that these expenses to Xtron would have been legitimate ones and for real services. In the case of the bonds, Kong said he was told they were a good investment. - CNA/cy/by

ShangTsung · Aug 22, 2014

Updated: 08/21/2014 23:20 | By Channel NewsAsia

Kong Hee wanted to distance financing of Sun Ho's music career from church

SINGAPORE: Prosecutors have pointed out that City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee had, until 2010, concealed from the church's executive members the real reason why Xtron Productions was incorporated.

Kong admitted it was to distance the financing of his wife Sun Ho's secular music career from the church. This was just one example of Kong being reluctant to fully disclose information - whether to auditors, lawyers, or even church members.

The prosecution said that Kong had earlier given two other versions of why Xtron had been incorporated as a media and events management company, and later as an entity to own and manage the church's future buildings. Neither version mentioned that Xtron would be managing Ms Ho or producing her albums.

The court heard that this was only made known in an email to Indonesian businessman and long-time church devotee Wahju Hanafi - who was being invited to become a director of Xtron. Mr Hanafi was told that Xtron was being incorporated as an independent company to handle all the income and expenses related to Ms Ho's third album.

Kong admitted he could have been "more specific" about Xtron's role in the Crossover Project - which is the church's way of evangelising through Ms Ho's secular pop music. He said he had been "selective" about disclosing information, because he did not want Ms Ho to be linked to the church as a gospel singer. He said this could jeopardise the success of the project and the church's outreach efforts in China: "If she was a gospel singer, getting a permit to even perform in China in those days may not be possible.”

Kong and his five deputies are standing trial for allegedly using the church's building fund monies to buy sham bonds in Xtron and another church-linked firm to bankroll Ms Ho's music career.

"I prefer to share as little as possible, unless I'm legally obligated to do it," he said, when the prosecution directed him to an email where some of the co-accused persons discussed the degree to which the bond transactions would be disclosed to auditors from Ernst & Young.

Kong defended the bond transactions vigorously, saying they were genuine investments meant to generate maximum returns for the church's building fund. However, he added that they had an important secondary purpose - to fulfil the church's missions in the form of the Crossover Project.

The prosecution charged that this, too, was never made clear to the church's executive members (EMs). Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong said: "In 2007 and 2008, and even in 2010, when the EMs were told about the investment of the Building Fund, they were never told that some of the investments of the church Building Fund had a purpose other than getting returns...you are lying when you say that the bonds were for dual purposes, that is, to maximise returns as well as to serve some other purpose.”

Kong and his deputies have maintained that Xtron and the church were independent entities operating at arm's length. But Mr Ong pointed to emails as he sought to prove that Kong's co-accused had also discussed the kind of picture they wanted to present to auditors and church members at an Annual General Meeting, which would ensure that they would be able to avoid a situation where Xtron's accounts were consolidated with the church's.

The prosecution continues its cross-examination of Kong on Friday (Aug 22). - CNA/xy

ShangTsung · Aug 22, 2014

Sun Ho's music success 'exaggerated'

Feng Zengkun The Straits Times Thursday, Aug 21, 2014

SINGAPORE - The music success of City Harvest pastor-singer Ho Yeow Sun had been grossly exaggerated, former church treasurer Chew Eng Han said in court on Monday.

Her success was a result of church members spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy her CDs as well as lies about her achievements and awards, said Chew.

Pointing to a raft of e-mail and other documents, Chew said that, contrary to the church's website and Ms Ho's own blog, she had not sung the theme song for the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai.

Referring to another example, Chew said that while Ms Ho, whose stage name is Sun Ho, was supposedly honoured for being the first foreign celebrity to be featured on a special China stamp series, "those stamps are nothing more than personalised stamps that anybody can go to the post office to pay for", Chew said.

He called the supposed honour "a scam" and produced copies of Ms Ho's stamps and others in the China series to show the difference.

Chew said the deception had been to boost confidence in Ms Ho's planned debut American album, which was part of a church-approved Crossover Project to evangelise using her secular music.

Chew, City Harvest founder Kong Hee and four others face various charges for their part in the alleged misuse of some $50 million of church funds to boost Ms Ho's pop music career and then to cover up the deed.

"After a series of discoveries since 2013, I discovered the Crossover was not what it was supposed to be... Many members of City Harvest Church that trusted the leadership took what was told to us at face value. I was one of them," Chew said.

Representing himself, Chew put to Kong, who was taking the stand for the second week: "The real reason the US album was constantly delayed year after year was because you secretly knew Sun's success was not real... You consciously kept all relevant information from me to use me to help you arrange the necessary financing."

Kong strenuously denied the claims. He said he believed that Ms Ho's stamp honour was genuine because there had been a ceremony attended by officials.

He added that while he had not attended the 2007 Special Olympics, he knew Ms Ho had recorded a song, "and there could be more than one theme song".

"I know that Sun recorded a song that was used by the Special Olympics," he said.

As for the claim that members had bought Ms Ho's CDs to boost sales, Kong said some of the purchases were "just to stimulate momentum" and "a norm in the industry".

Other purchases had been paid for by church members who wanted to support Ms Ho. "They gave us the money and we used it for the buying (of) CDs. We didn't buy the CDs as something fake, for every CD we bought, there was an intended recipient," Kong said.

City Harvest Church founder faces the music

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