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Businessman accused of $4.5m casino scam found dead in China
S'porean accused by Manila of $4.5m gaming fraud is found dead in China
Published on Aug 31, 2011

Before he left Singapore about six years ago, Loo (seen here in a 2001 photo) was well known in horse-racing circles here as 'Fatty Loo' because of his physique. Close friends say he had been living in the Philippines after several run-ins with the law here. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

CCTV footage from Pagcor showing Loo, alias Ben Lui, allegedly cheating in a Philippines casino. -- PHOTO: ST FILE
By Elizabeth Soh & Cheryl Ong
Singaporean businessman, lawyer, race horse owner and national judoka Loo Choon Beng, who had a string of brushes with the law here and abroad, was found dead in Guangzhou, China, earlier this month.
He was also reportedly behind the first high-tech baccarat casino scam in the Philippines, where three government-run casinos lost 160 million pesos (S$4.5 million) in May.
A close friend, who declined to be named, told The Straits Times on Tuesday that Loo, 58, was found dead on his hotel room bed on Aug 3 or 4.
A mutual friend attended the funeral in Guangzhou, and was told Loo had either died in his sleep or from complications arising from health problems, which included diabetes and high cholesterol.
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.