Singapore companies sanctioned by US are family run

SINGAPORE (AP) — SINGAPORE (AP) – Two Singapore companies sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department this week and accused of laundering money for North Korea share a director, address and have a similar board, official records show.

The Treasury Department named the companies, commodities trading house Wee Tiong (S) Pte. Ltd. and ship management services company WT Marine Pte. Ltd. in announcing the sanctions Thursday.

Tan Wee Beng, director of both companies, was also blacklisted and named in criminal charges by the Department of Justice for “a multi-year scheme to violate and evade U.S. national security controls”.

Tan, his brother Tan Wee Tiong and father Tan Siong Kern are listed on the business profiles of both companies. A Wee Tiong executive said he had no knowledge of any alleged dealings with North Korea.