Bids for jewellery seized from Fujian gang total about $5m; Hermes bracelet attracts $360k offer

SINGAPORE — Bids for 286 pieces of fine jewellery seized in Singapore’s landmark $3 billion money laundering case ranged from $750 to $360,000 as the second online auction for the confiscated goods closed on Sept 27.

Diamonds dominated the proceedings, which saw bidders put up about $5 million for all the items available. A last-minute flurry of bids for an Hermes bracelet studded with 263 diamonds that totalled 30.31 carats saw its bid price climb up to $360,000 in the final seconds.

In close second was a 15.02-carat “fancy yellow” diamond ring that attracted a final offer of $230,000.

At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest items were a pair of children’s rings made of gold, as well as a diamond solitaire ring. Both sold for $750.

The most sought-after item was a jewellery set from Dior. Comprising a diamond necklace, bangle, earrings and ring, it attracted 72 bids and sold for $125,000.

Bidding for the items began closing from 4pm, with the latest items left on auction scheduled to conclude after 8pm.

Under the rules of local auction house Hotlotz, which is hosting the auction, any bid placed within the final five minutes extends the bidding period for that lot by another five minutes. The extension continues until five minutes pass without a new bid.

A buyer’s premium of 20 per cent is also added on top of the closing bid.

Online bidding for this second tranche of items began on Sept 7 alongside a separate auction for luxury goods that closed on Sept 20.

That earlier auction, which featured 337 items including luxury handbags and accessories, attracted more than $1.1 million in bids.

A limited-edition Louis Vuitton pumpkin bag was the most sought-after piece, with 81 bids pushing the final price to $87,000.

The next round of auctions begins on Nov 9, as part of 15 sales scheduled till May 2027.

The $3 billion money laundering case involved a network of individuals and shell companies linked to proceeds from scams and illegal online gambling.

The scale of the network came to light after 10 foreigners were arrested in islandwide raids in August 2023.

In addition to the luxury items, properties linked to the money launderers have also been put up for sale.

On Sept 23, four luxury apartments at Wallich Residence and Martin Modern were sold at auction, although another 15 properties were withdrawn after failing to meet their reserve prices or attract any bids.

Among the properties withdrawn was the most expensive — a 42nd-floor penthouse at South Beach Residences with a guide price of $25.3 million.

In total, more than 1,000 luxury items forfeited in connection with the case are being auctioned. The sales are overseen by professional services firm Deloitte, which was appointed by police in 2025 to manage and liquidate the seized assets.

All proceeds will go into the Consolidated Fund, which functions as the Government’s central bank account.

This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.

新加坡——在新加坡具有里程碑意义的30亿美元洗钱案中查获的286件高级珠宝，在9月27日结束的第二次网上拍卖中，竞标价格从750美元到36万美元不等。

钻石成为本次拍卖的焦点，竞拍者为所有拍品支付了约500万美元。其中，一条镶嵌263颗钻石、总重30.31克拉的爱马仕手镯在最后时刻引发激烈竞价，最终成交价在几秒钟内飙升至36万美元。

紧随其后的是一枚 15.02 克拉的“艳彩黄钻”戒指，最终成交价为 23 万美元。

另一方面，最便宜的商品是一对儿童金戒指和一枚钻石单钻戒指，售价均为750美元。

最受追捧的拍品是一套迪奥珠宝套装。这套珠宝包括一条钻石项链、一个手镯、一副耳环和一枚戒指，共吸引了72次竞价，最终以12.5万美元的价格成交。

拍卖品的竞价从下午 4 点开始陆续结束，最后剩下的拍卖品预计将于晚上 8 点后结束。

根据主办此次拍卖的当地拍卖行Hotlotz的规定，在最后五分钟内提出的任何出价都会使该拍品的竞价时间延长五分钟。如果五分钟内没有新的出价，竞价时间将一直延长。

成交价之外，还要加收20%的买方佣金。

第二批拍品的网上竞拍于 9 月 7 日开始，同时还举行了一场奢侈品拍卖会，该拍卖会于 9 月 20 日结束。

此前那场拍卖会共有 337 件拍品，包括奢侈手袋和配饰，吸引了超过 110 万美元的竞标。

限量版路易威登南瓜包是最受欢迎的拍品，经过 81 次竞价，最终成交价达到 87,000 美元。

下一轮拍卖将于 11 月 9 日开始，这是计划持续到 2027 年 5 月的 15 场拍卖会的一部分。

这起涉案金额高达 30 亿美元的洗钱案涉及一个由个人和空壳公司组成的网络，这些公司与诈骗和非法网络赌博所得有关。

2023年8月，全岛范围内的突击行动逮捕了10名外国人，该犯罪网络的规模才得以曝光。

除了奢侈品外，与洗钱者有关的房产也被挂牌出售。

9 月 23 日，Wallich Residence 和 Martin Modern 的四套豪华公寓在拍卖会上售出，但另有 15 套房产因未能达到底价或吸引任何竞标而被撤回。

撤回的房产中最贵的是位于南海滩住宅区 42 层的顶层公寓，指导价为 2530 万美元。

总计超过1000件与此案相关的奢侈品将被拍卖。拍卖由专业服务公司德勤负责监督，该公司于2025年受警方委托管理和清算这些查获资产。

所有收益将进入统一基金，该基金相当于政府的中央银行账户。

本文最初发表于《海峡时报》。转载需获得许可。