The Dark Escape: Alice and Sheila Guo’s Exit from the Philippines Is Facilitated by Scandalous Money Laundering Network

The case of Alice Guo, the ousted mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, and her sister, Sheila Guo, has sent shockwaves through the Philippines. The sisters are now at the center of a massive money laundering scandal that has spanned several countries and left a trail of illegal activity in its wake.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, a key figure in the investigation into the case, has expressed serious concerns that a powerful and well-organized criminal syndicate may have played a crucial role in helping the Guo sisters evade justice. The senator believes the syndicate’s involvement is evident in the sisters’ intricate web of connections to a major money laundering scheme in Singapore.

Deep ties to criminal activities

The connection between Alice Guo and the Singapore money laundering case came to light through documents from Baofu Land Development, Inc., a company in which Alice owned a significant 50% stake. In 2019, Baofu Land filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that revealed alarming details about two of Alice’s business partners. Those partners, Zhang Ruijin, a Chinese national, and Baoying Lin, a Dominican Republic citizen, were involved in Singapore’s largest money laundering case.

Zhang Ruijin was convicted in connection with the case, with reports suggesting he had amassed $41 million in assets overseas, including shares in a Philippine real estate development company. Baoying Lin, the only woman charged in the Singapore case, was also a convicted fugitive. She was involved in billions of dollars of money laundering and even managed to evade capture during a raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) complex in Pampanga.

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To further complicate matters, Senator Gatchalian revealed that individuals linked to money laundering activities were also involved in booking hotels for Alice Guo and her entourage during their escape attempt. One of these individuals, Zhang Jie, is a former president of Lucky South 99, an illegal POGO hub that was raided by authorities.

The senator noted that the connections between these individuals and the Guo family go beyond business associations. They appear to be closely tied to the family’s criminal activities, allowing them to evade capture and continue their illegal activities in Asia.

A transnational quest

The case has taken on an international dimension, with the Philippine National Police (PNP) working closely with foreign counterparts, including Interpol, to track down Alice Guo. Although Sheila Guo and another operative, Cassandra Li Ong, have been arrested, Alice is still at large and may be using her network to evade the authorities.

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On August 21, Indonesian immigration authorities arrested Sheila Guo, who served as the corporate secretary for most of the family’s businesses. She was detained along with Cassandra Li Ong, who was identified as the authorized representative of Lucky South 99. Both women were deported to the Philippines, where they now face multiple charges, including obstruction of justice, harboring a fugitive, and violations of the Philippine Passport Act.

Sheila Guo, who holds a Chinese passport under the name Zhang Mier, is currently in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has indicated that if it is confirmed that Sheila obtained her Philippine documents fraudulently, she may be deported to China. However, her actual deportation will be suspended until all criminal charges against her in the Philippines are resolved.

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Meanwhile, the search for Alice continues. Reports suggest that Alice may have left the Philippines through a “backdoor” route, traveling to Indonesia and then moving to Malaysia and Singapore. It is believed that Alice met her parents, Lin Wen Yi and Guo Jian Zhong, as well as Ong, in Singapore. The entire Guo family, along with their close associates, are now the subject of arrest warrants issued by the Philippine Senate in connection with the POGO investigation.

The Senate, led by Senators Gatchalian and Risa Hontiveros, has held hearings to reveal the full extent of the Guo family’s involvement in illegal POGO operations. The investigations have revealed that the family’s illegal activities are deeply rooted in several Asian countries, indicating a sophisticated and well-coordinated network.

Ongoing legal battles

As the investigation continues, the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has obtained a freezing order from the Court of Appeals (CA) for the assets of Alice Guo and other individuals allegedly involved in illegal POGO operations. The freezing order, issued on July 10, includes 90 bank accounts in 14 financial institutions, as well as several real estate properties and valuable personal items, including luxury vehicles and a helicopter.

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The AMLC’s actions are aimed at preventing these assets from being squandered while the investigation and legal proceedings continue. Senator Gatchalian expressed confidence that the Guo family will eventually be brought to justice. He stressed that the family’s attempts to evade arrest will ultimately fail, as the network of law enforcement agencies working on this case are determined to hold them accountable.

Although Sheila and Ong are currently in custody, their legal battles are far from over. They are expected to appear at Senate hearings to provide more information about the government officials who may have aided their escape. The hearings will also delve deeper into the family’s ties to the illegal POGO operations and the extent of their money laundering activities.

The Philippine National Police, in collaboration with the NBI, BI and foreign counterparts, continues its efforts to locate Alice Guo and bring her back to the country. Authorities remain hopeful that they will soon make a breakthrough in the case and bring all those involved to justice.

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As this complex and far-reaching case unfolds, it has exposed the dark side of transnational crime syndicates and their ability to operate across borders with relative impunity. Pursuing justice in this case is not just a matter of holding the Guo family to account, but a crucial step in dismantling the networks that facilitate such large-scale criminal activity.