Philippines Files Money Laundering Charges Against Former Mayor Alice Guo

Philippine prosecutors are taking money laundering charges for her involvement in an illegal online casino project.

According to an official, The Department of Justice (DOJ) has authorized the filing of 62 counts of money laundering charges against Alice Guo (Guo Hua Ping), a former mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, and 31 other individuals concerning the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) center in her town.

Guo was one of the proprietors of a building that housed online gambling organizations that were seized for allegedly engaging in human trafficking and internet fraud.

Prosecutors are seeking to indict 30 others, including her associate Zhang Ruijin and Gou’s associate Lin Baoying. These individuals were also convicted in Singapore’s biggest money laundering case.

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Among those named in the Justice Department resolution is former Bamban mayor Alice Go, who is accused of profiting from investment frauds committed at the Baofu online casino complex in Bamban, north of the capital.

The resolution states that Guo’s role in the plan “cannot be overemphasized.” “She seems to be its architect and/or brainchild,” it continued.

A request for comment from Nicole Jamilla, Guo’s attorney, was not immediately answered. Guo was prepared to deny “baseless” accusations of money laundering and human trafficking, she stated in November. The former mayor had already entered a not-guilty plea to a different human trafficking case.

Assistant Attorney General “Miko Clavano” told reporters that the fraudsters “made money” through these scams and used the funds to acquire numerous assets. Prosecutors are expected to file charges in court soon.

These individuals … are alleged to have been involved in a complex scheme of money laundering linked to the crimes of estafa (or fraudulent acts), qualified trafficking in persons, and violations of the Securities Regulation Code.

Anti-Money Laundering Council

In August, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Anti-Money Laundering Commission, and the Presidential Commission on Organized Crime filed a complaint against Gou and others for their involvement in a complex money laundering scheme involving fraud and human trafficking.

According to a media source, the council sought to seize assets that were allegedly “accumulated by Guo and her associates through their unlawful activities” and valued at approximately 6 billion pesos ($102 million).