Alleged Swindler Scammed Out of $800,000 by New York City Limo Driver

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed)
Nov 15th 2010 at 12:31PM

Tony Chan Chun Chuen is allegedly swindled by New York Limo driver.

A New York City limo driver allegedly stole the credit card information belonging to a Hong Kong-based near billionaire and racked up nearly $800,000 in fraudulent charges, according to court documents filed in a Federal Court in Brooklyn.

Astonishingly, the victim is so wealthy, he wasn't even aware he had been defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars until it was brought to his attention by the company that had issued the charge card.

It all started when celebrity feng shui adviser, Chan Chun Chuen, also known as "Tony Chan" (seen above), traveled by private jet in July 2008 arriving at New Jersey's Teterboro Airport before being transported to Manhattan by Queens, N.Y.-based driver, Peter S. Rahhaoui. According to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, Rahhaoui later used Chan's American Express card to "receive payment and other things of value". The fraudulent activity allegedly occurred between August 2008 and November 2009 .

U.S. Secret Service Agent Kwame Davis testified that he had been contacted by a fraud investigator working on behalf of American Express who was investigating a pattern of fraudulent activity for a card issued to Chan Chun Chuen. According to Kwame's testimony, a large number of charges were posted on a monthly basis by A&S Limousine Service, for amounts ranging between $4,300 and $19,242. According to court documents, the total amount of these charges was $794,986.

But in a strange twist of events, the victim's own alleged misdoings are now being used as a defense by Rahhaouhi.

According to the New York Post, Chan Chun Chuen was arrested in Hong Kong stemming from allegations that he presented a forged will that made him the sole heir to billionaire Nina Wang's fortune. Wang was the richest woman in Asia with an estimated net worth of $4 billion at the time of her death at age 67 three years ago (according to Forbes). But the allegedly forged will is not the only legal trouble in Hong Kong that Chan Chun Chuen is facing. Wang, who was a love interest of Chan Chun Chuen's, allegedly paid him hundreds of millions of dollars for his feng shui skills. According to the NY Post, Hong Kong tax collectors have slapped Chan with a $41 million charge.

Rahhaouhi has pleaded not guilty. According to the NY Post, he is claiming the American Express charges were authorized by Chan Chun Chuen.

Tags: American Express, billionaire, Can Chun Chuen, court, feng shui, fraud, fraud investigation, Hong Kong, legal action, Nina Wang, Tony Chan

Filed under: Wealth, Celebrity Design, Crimes and Misdemeanors

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

BROC Nov 16th 2010 7:33AM

See being broke has it's advantages.

Kenny Nash

youtube Kenny Nash "desire"

Paula Nov 16th 2010 8:04AM

Can you imagine being so well off that you don't notice $800,000 being stolen from you?? I wish I had found that credit card - but then again, I'm an honest person and would NEVER even think of doing that!

Chris Nov 16th 2010 8:05AM

Feng shui...ridiculous furniture rearranging advice for the truly credulous and amazingly stupid..

Stan Nov 16th 2010 8:34AM

A crook was taken by another crook, No big deal.

rc Nov 16th 2010 7:31PM

Just slap him on thre wrist, that's all our government will do to Charlie Rangle, and he stole about he same amount!

Gia Nov 16th 2010 9:05AM

I've lost all faith in humanity so this story doesn't surprise me at all...typical. I'm stunned when an honest person does their thing.

crabby Nov 16th 2010 2:37PM

Gia
My Father always told me to put my faith in God NOT my fellow man. But don't lose faith in all of humanity because there are a few of us good ones left:)

Rik Nov 17th 2010 9:24AM

Faith in an imaginary friend, would you listen to yourself?

Binky Nov 16th 2010 9:30AM

A swindler taken by a swindler.....make a movie about it!

brachm5 Nov 16th 2010 9:21AM

Karma: What goes around, comes around.

James Di Pietro Nov 16th 2010 9:32AM

A billion bucks ? I would give 999 million to Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Medical Mission Board, The Salvation Army, Episcopal Charity Services, Save The Children, The Wilderness Defense Fund, Fight Human Trafficking, The Table in San Francisco to feed the hungry, The Trasteverde Fund for the homeless and hungry in Italy, and all for the honor and glory of GOD. Anything better ? I still have a million bucks to feel good about. I guess I would pay off my dental bill, set up a college fund for my grandkids and feel good about all this. Otherwise......the money is useless.

Katie Nov 16th 2010 12:28PM

You seem to have a lot of worthy charities there, so good on you!

Sire Nov 16th 2010 10:10PM

Why not just give it to the Catholic Church to pay all the attorney's bills and restitution to all the children lives they have butchered throughout the decades? Heck, 23% of what you put into the basket every sunday gets kicked up and contributes for this particular purpose.
Yeah, the Catholic charities. Good move. Charity begins at home.