Property agent Goh Chong Liang, first accused of cheating in December last year, was yesterday slapped with 35 additional charges in a district court.

The 37-year-old father of two is accused of having perpetrated a $900,000 cashback scam between December 2003 and March last year.

A cashback deal refers to a property seller declaring a price higher than the actual transacted sum - helping the buyer get a bigger bank loan and thus providing him with instant cash.

The cash difference is kept by the buyer, or split between the two parties.

Yesterday, Goh’s case was moved to the Bail Court in the afternoon for the bail amount to be reviewed.

The prosecution said the sum - set at $300,000 in December last year - should be raised to $900,000.

District Judge Danielle Yeow asked the two sides to make submissions on issues such as Goh’s family background and cooperation with investigators - which would help determine if the accused is a flight risk.

She also allowed Goh’s lawyer, Mr Peter Fernando, and police prosecutor Shabbir Yusuf to agree on a bail amount - which they did, at a total of $600,000.

The first charge against Goh in December last year concerned the selling price of a Bukit Batok flat. He allegedly duped a bank into believing it was $312,000, when the actual price was only $285,000.

This led the bank to approve a $292,000 loan to the buyers of the flat.

Investigations into Goh have brought up a name the courts are becoming increasingly familiar with - David Rasif.

The runaway lawyer and his former partner David Tan - though not charged with any crime - are alleged to have conspired to help Goh pull off the cashback scam.

It was not mentioned exactly what their role was.

Rasif, 42, disappeared on June 5 last year - allegedly with $12 million of clients’ money.

Goh, who could be jailed for up to seven years if convicted, will return to court on May 15.

Source: The Straits Times, 12 May 2007