By Blessing Nweke
Singapore police have seized a luxury mansion worth 55 million Singapore dollars (about $42.5 million) as part of an investigation into an alleged scheme involving the illegal trade of servers containing advanced Nvidia artificial intelligence (AI) chips.
Authorities said the property, located in one of Singapore’s most exclusive neighborhoods near the famous Botanic Gardens, was allegedly purchased using proceeds from criminal activities. Investigators believe around 38 million Singapore dollars of the home’s purchase price came from illicit earnings.
Police announced that the mansion has been placed under a legal restriction preventing its sale while investigations continue.
The main suspect, Wei Zhaolun, also known as Alan Wei, has been charged with money laundering. Wei is the chief executive of Aperia Group, a company that supplies servers and other technology hardware to businesses. Authorities also seized approximately one million Singapore dollars from bank accounts linked to the investigation.
According to police, four people have been charged since February 2025 with fraud and other alleged offenses. Investigators claim the suspects ordered servers from major technology suppliers by falsely stating they were intended for legitimate corporate use. The servers were purchased from Dell, Super Micro Computer, and Asus, although authorities have not disclosed their final destination.
Singapore-based firms, including Luxuriate Your Life and three companies under the Aperia Group, also face charges. Police described the case as the first involving corporate entities under these investigations.
The probe comes amid heightened efforts by Singapore and the United States to prevent the illegal movement of advanced Nvidia chips, which have been subject to U.S. export restrictions since 2022 over concerns they could support China’s military capabilities. If convicted of fraud, those charged could face prison terms of up to 20 years.
Original article
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