Yong Wei Kuen Paul

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

The Court of Three Judges struck the respondent, an advocate and solicitor of some 20 years' standing, off the roll on two independent complaints. In DT/3/2019, he orchestrated an illegal moneylending scheme disguised as an investment, inducing his former client Ms Oh to advance $49,500, of which nearly $20,000 was siphoned for himself; all six charges (including a dishonest demand for $500 reimbursement) were made out and the court expressly found brazen, premeditated dishonesty. In DT/10/2018, he directed a client to deposit $7,000 into the Firm's Office Account in breach of the SAR, failed to deliver work, ignored communications, and never refunded the deposits (found deceitful/misappropriation), breaching the PCR. The court dismissed his bad-faith adjournment request, ordered him to bear costs of all proceedings, and referred the matter to the Public Prosecutor.

Duties found breached:

• Disclose adverse law to the court
• Proper basis for allegations
• No improper communication with the court
• Disclose referrals, commissions and benefits
• Handle inadvertently received material
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Maintain competence and CPD

Aggravating factors:

• Brazen, premeditated and pervasive dishonesty
• Abuse of trust arising from former solicitor-client relationship
• Siphoning nearly $20,000 for himself while claiming full transfer to Cyndi
• False assertion to Inquiry Committee that he obtained no personal benefit
• Deliberate breaches of the SAR (distinguishable from inadvertent breaches)
• Misappropriation of client deposits and failure to refund
• Pattern of indolence and unrepentance
• Attempting to evade service and mount a false claim of ignorance / bad faith adjournment request
• 20 years' standing at the Bar