Shell in shock! Former employees steal millions of dollars in diesel, open hair salon and sushi restaurant – Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com

Posted by John Donovan on July 2, 2024

In the latest saga of “How Shell Keeps On Topping Itself,” two former employees decided to play pirate and abscond with millions of dollars worth of diesel from Shell’s Pulau Bukom plant. Yes, you heard that right: these two masterminds, Muzaffar Ali Khan Muhamad Akram, 42, and Koh Choon Wei, 40, swindled Shell out of enough fuel to make Captain Jack Sparrow jealous.

Muzaffar, who managed to steal nearly $120 million worth of diesel, pocketed a whopping $1.3 million. His accomplice, Koh, stole over $101 million worth of oil and walked away with at least $1 million. And what did they do with their ill-gotten gains? They opened a halal Japanese restaurant, invested in real estate, bought a Volkswagen and even opened a hair salon. Who knew that crime could spawn such diverse businesses?

The two men were part of a larger conspiracy dating back to 2007, led by former Shell employees Juandi Pungot and Abdul Latif Ibrahim. Juandi, the mastermind of the case, was sentenced to 29 years in prison, while Latif’s case is still ongoing. Clearly, Shell’s recruitment process missed some red flags.

This dynamic duo were shore-based loading agents, each earning about $6,000 a month. They organized the illegal loading of diesel onto ships by striking cozy deals with ship captains and bribing independent experts to look the other way. Their operations were so seamless that they could have served as a masterclass in criminal ingenuity.

To cover their tracks, they used group chats that were quickly deleted and even tampered with by CCTV cameras. Because nothing screams “innocence” more than escaping surveillance and deleting conversation history.

Shell eventually became aware of the fuel leak and filed a police report in August 2017. In January 2018, Muzaffar and Koh were arrested. The prosecution, which is not far behind, is seeking long prison sentences for both men: 27 years and 10 months for Muzaffar and 23 years and 10 months for Koh. Deputy prosecutor Christopher Ong minced no words, calling them leaders of a conspiracy motivated by profit.

Muzaffar’s lawyer, in a dazzling display of his defence, argued that the syndicate was a purely Singaporean affair and that the $1.3 million Muzaffar pocketed was a drop in the ocean compared to the $5.6 million Juandi pocketed. Koh’s lawyer, meanwhile, portrayed his client as a mere follower who happened to profit handsomely from his orders.

Both Muzaffar and Koh have cooperated with authorities and handed over the proceeds of their crimes, presumably because there is no honor among thieves once you are caught. Sentencing is scheduled for July 25, and we can all wait with bated breath to see how many years these modern-day oil barons will spend behind bars.

Shell, always quick to react, will undoubtedly continue to focus on its core values: profit maximization and world domination. Stay tuned for their next episode, where they might finally find a way to outdo themselves once again.

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