FOR more than a year, multi-level marketing company Sunshine Empire collected more than $180 million from tens of thousands of customers sold on the generous rebates on its lifestyle packages.

The firm, however, did not have a viable business plan, the prosecution charged yesterday at the opening of the trial against founder James Phang Wah, 49, his wife Neo Kuon Huay, 46, and ex-director Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat, 29.

Sunshine Empire 'was bound to fail'

By Khushwant Singh

THE two men charged with running the biggest Ponzi-like scheme in Singapore were yesterday accused of knowing that they were running a business that had no hope of succeeding.

Opening the case in the trial of Sunshine Empire business partners James Phang Wah and Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat, and Phang's wife Neo Kuon Huay, the prosecution said the three did not care two hoots because they just wanted to make money quick and then get out.

Within 15 months, they had managed to raise $180 million from investors persuaded by the 'promised' high returns - in this case, rebates from the sale of lifestyle products. The rebates, however, cost more than the products themselves, and eventually, the whole house of cards came crashing down.

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