Chang-Tave couple sentenced for money laundering   |13 August 2021

Natasia Chang-Tave and husband Steve Chang-Tave reappeared before the Supreme Court yesterday to face sentencing for conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.

In the matter before Justice Mohan Burhan, Mrs Chang-Tave was sentenced to a term of three years imprisonment and a fine of R25,000 and a term of three years imprisonment and a fine of R25,000 for count two.

The second convict in the case, Mr Chang Tave, was also sentenced to a term of three years imprisonment and a fine of R25,000, and a term of 3 years imprisonment and a fine of R25,000, on count three.

Justice Burhan ruled that sentences of three years imprisonment in counts one and two are to run concurrently, and in default of payment of total fine R50,000, six months imprisonment to run consecutively to the term of three years imprisonment for both.

Both convicts were charged and sentenced for conspiracy to commit money laundering, after they, along with three others, knowing or believing that a property situated in Port Glaud, Mahé, was or represented the proceeds of crime, agreed with one another to conceal or disguise the true nature, source, disposition, movement or ownership of the property or any rights with respect to it without lawful authority or excuse.

Mrs Chang Tave was also sentenced on count two, for knowing that the property, was or represented the benefit of criminal conduct namely, drug trafficking, concealed the information without lawful excuse.

On the other hand, Mr Chang Tave was also sentenced for money laundering.

The background facts of the case are that the pair conspired with others to launder a sum of R3,000,000 by purchasing a property, through a third party. The transfer document was prepared and when the money was deposited in the bank, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) was informed of a suspicious transaction and investigations by the Financial Crime Investigation Unit (FCIU) commenced.

The outcome of an FCIU investigation proved that the money did not come from the third party, but from Mr and Mrs Chang Tave.

Both pleaded guilty to their respective charges and were convicted by court on June 1, 2021. Mrs Chang Tave is already serving a term of six years imprisonment, while Mr Chang Tave is already serving a term of four years imprisonment imposed by this court for drug-related offences.

It was on Tuesday August 10 that Mrs Chang-Tave was sentenced for an inter-related money laundering matter.

Laura Pillay