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He sowed the wind and is reaping the whirlwind!
Mobile Air, which was owned by Jover Chew, became notorious after a video of a Vietnamese tourist going on his knees to beg for a refund at the shop went viral in November last year.
But first, his employees paid the price: they got free board and lodging courtesy of the Singapore government via its Prison.
Jover Chew pleaded guilty. He had lost his business. His wife divorced him. Maybe only his mother still accepts him.
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30 November 2015
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By RONALD LOH
Former Sim Lim Square mobile shop owner, Jover Chew, was jailed 33 months and fined $2,000 on Monday (Nov 30) for cheating customers of at least $12,000.
Chew, 33, director of the now-defunct Mobile Air shop, had earlier admitted to 10 counts of cheating, one count of criminal intimidation and one count of causing distress.
Sixteen other charges were also taken into consideration for sentencing.
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17 November 2015
Prosecutors has called for Jover Chew to be given a three-year jail sentence.
3 years’ jail sought for Sim Lim cheat Jover Chew http://bit.ly/1NYvxN6
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Elena Chong
MyPaper
17 November 2015
Prosecutors called for the boss of a now-defunct electronics firm to be given a three-year jail sentence yesterday after he admitted to conning his customers.
Jover Chew Chiew Loon, 33, the “brains and architect” behind Mobile Air, pleaded guilty to 12 of 28 charges against him – including abetment by conspiracy to cheat and criminal intimidation.
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16 November 2015
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Jover Chew pleads guilty and will be sentenced on Nov 30. Bail has been extended http://bit.ly/1SSKksD
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Prosecution calls for 36 months’ jail for Jover Chew; sanctions of “utmost severity” needed http://bit.ly/1SSKksD
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Jover Chew pleads guilty to cheating customers
By RONALD LOH
Former Sim Lim Square mobile shop owner, Jover Chew, pleaded guilty on Monday (Nov 16) to cheating customers of at least $12,000.
Chew, 33, director of the now-defunct Mobile Air shop, turned up at the State Courts and admitted to 10 counts of cheating, one count of criminal intimidation and one count of causing distress.
Sixteen other charges were also taken into consideration for sentencing.
Court papers said Chew and his employees would cheat prospective customers by first offering a low price for mobile phones or gadgets.
Chew would then jack up the price, citing various reasons such as for an international warranty, after the victims had paid up the initial amount.
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He will be sentenced on Nov 30.
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22 October 2015
After 4 had been sentenced to jail earlier:
Five more Sim Lim salesmen charged in court for cheating
The five men charged on Thursday morning allegedly committed the cheating offences over a period of 13 months while employed as salesmen at Gadget Terminal.
- POSTED: 22 Oct 2015 14:09
SINGAPORE: Five former salesmen at the now-defunct mobile phone retailer Gadget Terminal at Sim Lim Square were charged in court for cheating on Thursday (Oct 22).
Chung Choong Cheik, 34, Justin Chew Chee Kin, 36, Lin Fa Cai, 32, Tan Wei Ping, 40, and Lim Wei Sheng, 30, were charged with between one and eight counts of cheating.
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The five men allegedly committed the cheating offences over a period of 13 months from October 2013 to November 2014 while employed as salesmen at Gadget Terminal.
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Gadget Terminal was raided on Dec 4 last year and the five salesmen were arrested.
The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said at the time that Gadget Terminal had topped the list of blacklisted Sim Lim Square shops, with 14 complaints lodged against them from September to November last year.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/five-more-sim-lim/2209844.html?cid=TWTCNA
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14 October 2015
Mobile Air salesmen go to jail.
JUST IN: 4 #MobileAir ex-employees sentenced to between 4 and 14 months’ jail for cheating http://tdy.sg/1LNd6LL
The four ex-employees of Mobile Air arriving at court on Oct 14, 2015 for sentencing. Clockwise starting from top left: Kam Kok Keong, Koh Guan Seng, Lim Hong Ching and Lim Zhi Wei Kelvin. Photos: Ernest Chua/TODAYSINGAPORE — The four ex-employees of notorious Sim Lim Square electronics shop Mobile Air have been sentenced to between four months’ and 14 months’ jail for cheating customers.
Koh Guan Seng, 38, Kam Kok Keong, 31, Lim Hong Ching, 34, and Lim Zhi Wei Kelvin, 32 were today (Oct 14) sentenced to 14 months, 11 months, six months and four months’ jail respectively.
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/four-mobile-air-ex-employees-jailed-cheating
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Mobile Air salesmen plead guilty to cheating offences
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Salesmen who worked under Jover Chew reveals how they conspired to cheat customers http://bit.ly/1YTjOU8
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Mobile Air salesmen plead guilty to cheating offences
STvideonews GOT A MINUTE?: Here are three of today’s top stories. Watch: http://bit.ly/1O9X1Qt
#MobileAir salesmen plead guilty to cheating offences. Full story: http://tdy.sg/1j299Gw
Koh Guan Seng faced 15 charges involving S$9,789, and had six charges proceeded with. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — Details of dodgy sales tactics used by former employees of now-defunct Mobile Air shop at Sim Lim Square emerged today (Oct 1) as four of them pleaded guilty to a string of cheating offences.
The court heard that Koh Guan Seng, 38, Kam Kok Keong, 31, Lim Hong Ching, 34, and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, preyed mainly on foreigners unfamiliar with the English language or low-wage workers, by first offering to sell them handphones at an attractive low price before jacking up the total cost later. Through such tactics, they succeeded in cheating 25 people, ranging from construction workers to foreign students, last year.
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The court also heard that Chew would indicate the cost price of the products on the packaging — and employees who sold the devices at a lower price than Chew had set would have to pay for the difference out of their own pockets.
Thus, a Mobile Air salesman would first offer a walk-in customer a handphone at a price below the one that had been set by Chew earlier. Once the customer agreed to the supposedly low price, the salesman would collect payment and present the handphone for inspection. The customer would then be asked to sign an invoice stating the agreed price.
After the deal had been inked, the salesman would then alter the invoice by adding extra items — such as a warranty — and jacking up the total price of the phone. Should the customer ask to call off the deal, the salesman would either refuse to give a refund, or impose a cancellation fee.
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Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Lim, describing the case as a “brazen case of cheating”, said: “Many of the victims were low-wage, daily-rated workers with limited understanding of the English language, consumers rights and the avenues of seeking recourse. It will be a tall order for them to pursue their remedy.”
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Poor Jover Chew! The drizzle has turned into a downpour that threatens to drown him.
He faces 9 charges for cheating and criminal intimidation (by threatening to have a victim’s work permit revoked).
Sim Lim case: More charges against Jover Chew http://bit.ly/1LVLhhK
Elena Chong
The Straits Times
Friday, 31 July, 2015
Two more charges were tendered against Jover Chew Chiew Loon, owner of the now-defunct Sim Lim Square store, Mobile Air.
This was during a pre-trial conference on Thursday, and it brought the total number of charges he faces to 28.
One of the fresh charges accuses Chew, 33, of insulting behaviour towards a customer, Ms Zou Jing Tong.
He is accused of subjecting the woman, from China, to picking up coins amounting to $547 from the floor, with intent to cause her distress.
The money was in part satisfaction of an order made by the Small Claims Tribunal.
The alleged incident took place at Chew’s shop at Sim Lim Square, Rochor Canal Road, on Oct 28 last year.
The other charge states that Chew and his ex-employee, Kam Kok Keong, 31, conspired to cheat walk-in customers between December 2013 and Sept 24 last year.
The charge further says that on Sept 24 last year, Kam tricked Ms Zou into believing that an iPhone 6 plus would be sold to her at $1,600 when he knew to be false, thus inducing Ms Zou to hand over the money to him.
Kam was also slapped with a similar charge involving Ms Zou. He now faces nine charges in all.
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Today
Ex-Mobile Air staff to hire lawyers, not plead guilty
Change of heart comes as they want lawyers to reduce charges
SINGAPORE — Four former employees of the defunct Mobile Air shop at Sim Lim Square did not plead guilty to cheating offences yesterday despite earlier indicating they would do so.
Kam Kok Keong, 31; Edmund Lim Hong Ching, 33; and Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, yesterday asked the court for more time because they wanted to engage lawyers to “reduce charges”.
They each face one to eight cheating-related charges, with the amounts involved ranging from S$330 to S$3,710.
Koh Guan Seng, 38, the fourth accused, has engaged lawyer Edmund Wong, who told the court he had not been instructed if his client would plead guilty. Koh faces 15 charges of cheating involving S$9,789.
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/ex-mobile-air-staff-hire-lawyers-not-plead-guilty
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30 May 2015
HE FACES SEVERAL CHARGES FOR CHEATING, HE IS UNEMPLOYED, AND HIS WIFE HAS DIVORCED HIM.
Chew’s wife, Winnie Koh, claims that they have divorced and that she is no longer in contact with him.
She told Shin Min: “We are no longer related. I don’t interfere with his matters, nor can I comment on them.”
Koh, 32, had told Wanbao that she has her “own life” now and that her “new partner” does not want her to be implicated in Chew’s matter.
Jover Chew has been unemployed for 5 months: Reports http://bit.ly/1d51weO
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Jover Chew, one of five men arrested for a series of cheating cases at Sim Lim Square, has reportedly been out of work for five months.
Chew’s mother told Lianhe Wanbao that he had turned up at her hawker stall to help out on a few occasions, but she had told him to stay away. “I’m not worried about how others will view us, I just don’t want to rake up the past.”
She said her family had advised Chew not to work until the Sim Lim Square matter blows over. She said he has been spending much of his time fishing, a hobby of his for years.
Chew’s mother said that she had been helping him out financially since he has been out of work.
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29 May 2015
A pre-trial conference has been fixed for June 25. Bail was offered to Chew, who is being remanded by the police, at $40,000.
Jover Chew charged for cheating 25 victims at now-defunct Sim Lim Square shop Mobile Air http://str.sg/UWP
SINGAPORE – Jover Chew Chiew Loon, the owner of Mobile Air, was charged in court on Friday morning for cheating a total of 25 victims at his now-defunct Sim Lim Square shop.
Chew faces 25 charges of cheating involving a total of $14,449 and one count of criminal intimidation for threatening to cause a victim’s work permit to be revoked.
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…four other men…were also charged yesterday, and faced between one to 15 counts of cheating.
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Jover Chew arrived at the State Courts in a police van at about 7.30am
#SimLimSquare cheating cases: Former Mobile Air owner Jover Chew arrives at court this morning http://bit.ly/1HVrkET
SINGAPORE: SINGAPORE: Jover Chew – the former owner of Sim Lim Square electronics shop Mobile Air – arrived in court on Friday morning (May 29), two days after being arrested for a series of cheating cases.
Chew, 32, arrived at the State Courts in a police van at about 7.30am on Friday. Also seen walking to court was Mr Edmund Lim, who took over the Sim Lim Square unit vacated when Mobile Air shuttered.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sim-lim-square-cheating/1879314.html?cid=fbsg
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Jover Chew and 4 others arrested over cheating cases at Sim Lim Square
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Five men fr Jover Chew’s infamous Mobile Air in Sim Lim Square arrested, to be charged Friday http://ow.ly/NuL8P
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Jover Chew and 4 others arrested over cheating cases at #SimLimSquarehttp://str.sg/UAm
SINGAPORE – Jover Chew, the owner of now-defunct Mobile Air, and four other men were arrested on Wednesday for a series of cheating cases at Sim Lim Square.
The police said they had received several reports against Mobile Air in 2014 for dishonest sales practices in which mobile phone customers were coerced into buying cell phones and in-house warranties at inflated prices.
These victims ended up paying for the mobile phones at much higher prices or had to pay fees to cancel the deal.
Chew, 32, and his shop became infamous after videos were posted last November of a crying Vietnamese tourist begging staff at the shop to refund his money.
– See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/courts-crime/story/5-men-arrested-over-cheating-cases-sim-lim-square-20150527#xtor=CS1-10
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JOVER CHEW, BOSS OF MOBILE AIR, TRIES TO CLEAR THE AIR: HE BLAMES HIS EMPLOYEES! But no one is convinced…
Mobile Air staff bullied customers, not me: Jover Chew complains about netizens http://bit.ly/1zO0kBR
When Jover Chew, whose name has now been completely dragged through the mud, made an appearance at Sim Lim Square last Friday afternoon (Nov 28), he also lamented about several things.
According to Lianhe Wanbao, the 32-year-old told a reporter that he will be unable to set up shop again as angry netizens are out to get him.
Chew also said that no one is willing to buy the shop over from him. This is because once they do, netizens expose the personal details of the new owners online. Their private photos are also made public.
This was exactly what happened to Ricky Lee, who was earlier reported to have taken over Chew’s Mobile Air. The new shop was supposed to be called HJ Mobile.
Netizens found out that Lee had changed his name twice. He also has a history of bad debts.
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In the conversation with the reporter, Chew also mentioned videos showing customers being taunted at Mobile Air which have been circulating online.
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He claimed that the ones behind the taunting and bullying in the videos were his employees and not him, and asked how people could blame it on him.
However, another video — in which an Indian customer was ‘forced’ to buy an iPhone at Mobile Air — clearly shows Chew telling the camera, ‘Say cheese!’
Chew also made fun of a man who tried to help the woman who was made to pick up her $1,010 refund in coins from the floor. This was another one of the many incidents at Mobile Air that have been caught on camera.
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Jover Chew calls police after going berserk on reporter: Here’s what he allegedly did http://bit.ly/1vLfGH1
The infamous Jover Chew made an appearance at Sim Lim Square last Friday afternoon (Nov 28), alerting both Police and reporters to the scene.
According to a report on Lianhe Wanbao, Chew was spotted with a few others, moving goods out of the shop that used to be Mobile Air.
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“While they were inside, reporters stood outside their shop to take photos,” said the 25-year-old witness.
According to Lim, this upset Chew, who came out of the shop and asked reporters to stop taking pictures. A dispute ensued between both parties.
“They were arguing very loudly. Jover Chew asked that reporter to stop shooting, but the other party refused. He then returned to his shop to call the police,” said Lim.
Lianhe Wanbao reported that Chew went berserk on the spot. He apparently tried to snatch the reporter’s camera and threatened to smash the other party’s phone.
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The Sim Lim Square SCANDAL has such far-reaching consequences for Singapore’s reputation that even the Minister of State for Trade and Industry is involved.
Teo Ser Luck meets with Sim Lim Square management council to discuss issue of errant retailers http://shar.es/1Xf3BG
SINGAPORE – Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck met with 10 members from the management council of Sim Lim Square today to discuss the issue of errant retailers in the electronics mall.
The management council had sent a letter to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) earlier to express their concern following recent reports of negative customer experiences.
At today’s meeting, the members shared the challenges they faced over the years, and suggested that laws could be strengthened to punish errant retailers with harsher penalties.
Both sides agreed on the need to better protect consumers and rights of the majority of the law-abiding retailers to uphold Singapore’s reputation as a retail destination, the MTI said in a statement today.
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Plainclothes police investigators leaving Sim Lim Square’s Mobile Air with boxes
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Investigators raid #SimLimSquare shop Mobile Air, seize documents and products. http://goo.gl/2vJ66I
According to Shin Min Daily News, eight plainclothes officers were at the shop for more than two hours. They left with four large boxes of documents and products. They also took with them three computer monitors, said the report.
When contacted by Shin Min, a police spokesman confirmed that they were investigating several reports filed against Mobile Air.
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Shopkeepers Channel NewsAsia spoke with said some stalls at Sim Lim Square which have constantly changed names are alleged to be linked to Mr Chew.
New shop opens where Mobile Air used to be, run by a former employee of Jover Chew http://cna.asia/1BowpFw
SINGAPORE: After being shuttered for a week amid backlash over unsavoury business practices, the shop space for Mobile Air at Sim Lim Square has reopened – this time, under the name HJ Mobile.
The shop has a new owner, Ricky Lee, who used to work for Mr Jover Chew, former boss of Mobile Air. Mr Lee said he bought the products off Mr Chew at a 20 per cent discount and was also offered a discount for rent.
Shopkeepers Channel NewsAsia spoke with said some stalls at Sim Lim Square which have constantly changed names are alleged to be linked to Mr Chew.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mobile-air-shop-reopens/1473336.html?cid=TWTCNA
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Sim Lim Square retailer Mobile Air reopens
WILL IT BE BUSINESS AS USUAL?
Errant Sim Lim Square retailer Mobile Air reopens http://goo.gl/P90Zzg
Consumer watchdog Case to start injunction proceedings against Sim Lim’s Mobile Air http://goo.gl/VgP171
Case said it is taking action because Mobile Air declined to sign a voluntary compliance agreement and pledge to stop unfair practices. Case added that it needs to seek approval from relevant committees as well as the Injunction Proposals Review Panel at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and then apply to the Court for the injunction.
The process might take several months, Case said. The consumer watchdog also stressed that it will “crack down strongly” against errant traders who refuse to stop their unfair practices despite repeated warnings.
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In July, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) filed an injunction application in court against electronics wholesale company Cyber Maestro in Sim Lim Square, after many complaints against it for practices such as over-charging. While the store can continue operations, should the company continue to engage in unfair practices, the STB can report it for “contempt of court”.
We’ve been alerted to a FAKE AsiaOne page titled “Man behind satire page, SMRT Ltd (Feedback) arrested; believed
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http://fb.me/3CKbZbM6F
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We’ve been alerted to a FAKE AsiaOne page titled “Man behind satire page, SMRT Ltd (Feedback) arrested; believed to be linked to Wikileaks”. While we are glad the ‘joker’ chose AsiaOne out of all the news sites out there to spoof, there is nothing accurate about this article at all, even though he/she did a pretty good job of mimicking our layout. For more REAL news updates on the Sim Lim Square saga please refer to this url http://www.asiaone.com/tags/sim-lim-square 
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HIS WIFE URGES HIM TO CLOSE SHOP AND APOLOGISE PUBLICLY but will he listen to her?
Jover Chew’s wife hopes he will close down his shop and do public apology http://bit.ly/1tVQIVX
Jover Chew’s wife, Ms Winnie Koh, 31, has been trying relentlessly to urge her husband to close down his shop and do a public apology. Mobile Air owner Jover Chew has been the subject of intense internet scrutiny the past few days.
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According to Shin Min Daily News, Ms Koh expressed that Jover Chew has not been home for many days. She hopes that he will reflect on his mistakes and start a new life by winding business.
She said: “I really hope my husband will come out and do a public apology, but I don’t know if he will. “I really hope he can turn over a new leaf, because this time he has gone too far.”
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Named, shamed, shut: Has Jover Chew succumbed to pressure from Sim Lim saga?
STOMP Named, shamed, shut: Has Jover Chew succumbed to pressure from Sim Lim saga? http://bit.ly/1u8bEZK
When The New Paper visited Sim Lim Square yesterday, the shop was closed. Mr Chew has also diverted his calls to another number.
Previously, Mobile Air did not cease operations despite regularly making it to the Consumers Association of Singapore’s (Case) blacklist of Sim Lim Square tenants. Some businesses on the list, like Cyber Maestro, simply switch their signboards and it’s business as usual.
Cyber Maestro, which was slapped with a court injunction on Monday, gave way to a new tenant, Megacentrix Technologies, and subtenant VS One in August. But a check revealed that the person behind VS One is related to the boss of Cyber Maestro.
The two businesses also share the same registered address. The shareholders of the two businesses are husband and wife. This is where the problem lies, said lawyer Steven Lam.
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