Aug 1, 2012: Soh and Quah – who were romantically linked at the time – begin their manipulation scheme. Between Aug 1, 2012, and Oct 3, 2013, Soh and Quah manipulate the share prices of Blumont, Asiasons and LionGold with Goh’s assistance.
As a result, the share prices of each individual counter surge by at least 800 per cent in the nine months before the subsequent crash.
Using the companies’ artificially inflated shares as collateral, Soh and Quah additionally deceive Goldman Sachs and Interactive Brokers into extending margin financing and paying out more than $230 million to finance the gambit.
Over two days, each counter craters between 82 per cent and 94 per cent. All in, some $8 billion in market capitalisation is wiped out among penny stocks on the SGX.
As a result, the share prices of each individual counter surge by at least 800 per cent in the nine months before the subsequent crash.
Using the companies’ artificially inflated shares as collateral, Soh and Quah additionally deceive Goldman Sachs and Interactive Brokers into extending margin financing and paying out more than $230 million to finance the gambit.
2013
Oct 4, 2013: Share prices of the three companies collapse, sparking a wider sell-off in penny stocks on the SGX. The market capitalisation of the three companies stood at $9.3 billion at the close of Oct 3, 2013. By the time their stocks are suspended on Oct 4, their market value has more than halved to $4.1 billion.Over two days, each counter craters between 82 per cent and 94 per cent. All in, some $8 billion in market capitalisation is wiped out among penny stocks on the SGX.
