Michelle Lee is a Partner with the White Collar Crime, and Fraud, Asset Recovery & Investigations Practices, at Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP. She handles a wide range of dispute and advisory work in connection with criminal and commercial matters.
Michelle has extensive experience in advising and acting for corporate and individual clients in matters involving corruption offences, fraud, cheating, criminal breach of trust, money-laundering offences, and securities fraud (such as market manipulation and insider trading). Her work includes conducting internal investigations on behalf of corporations in respect of corporate and compliance breaches and improper activity by employees, and advising on reporting obligations and future compliance and risk management measures.
Michelle also advises financial institutions and corporations on regulatory compliance, and investigations and enforcement proceedings launched by regulatory bodies such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, and the Ministry of Manpower.
Aside from defence counsel work, Michelle has conducted prosecution proceedings on behalf of corporate entities.
In addition to domestic crimes, Michelle has also advised clients in respect of cross-border matters such as extradition, mutual legal assistance, seizure and confiscation of assets, and infringement of sanction measures imposed by the United Nations.
Notable Cases & Transactions
Commercial and Criminal Disputes
- Represented the Defendant in Public Prosecutor v Lee Jun Xiao [2022] SGDC 146 (money laundering case)
- Represented the Defendants in Public Prosecutor v Takayuki Kondo and another [2021] SGDC 164 (private sector corruption)
- Represented the Defendant / Appellant in Public Prosecutor v Ng Jia Jie [2020] SGMC 18; Ng Jia Jie v Public Prosecutor [2020] SGHC 223 (furnishing false information to public servant)
- Represented the 1st and 3nd Defendants in Cristian PriwisataYacob and another v Wibowo Boediono and another and another suit [2017] SGHC 8 (see also Wibowo Boediono and another v Cristian PriwisataYacob and another and other appeals [2018] SGCA 38) (concerning allegations of fraud)
- Represented the 1st Defendant in Public Prosecutor v Lai Tuck Meng and Tan Jwee Shen [2016] SGDC 13 (bunkering case regarding stolen marine fuel oil)
- Represented the Defendant / Appellant in Public Prosecutor v Ding Si Yang [2014] SGDC 295; Ding Si Yang v Public Prosecutor and another appeal [2015] 2 SLR 229 (major football match-fixing case)
- Represented the Defendant in Public Prosecutor v Peter Benedict Lim Sin Pang [2013] SGDC 192 (major corruption case)
Investigations, Regulatory and Other Advisory Work
- Conducting and advising corporations on internal fraud investigations and conducting negotiations with local and foreign prosecution authorities.
- Advising corporations and individuals on securities fraud and market mismanagement, crisis management, and conducting negotiations with regulators.
- Advising cryptocurrency exchange operating in multiple jurisdictions in respect of investigations by enforcement and regulatory authorities concerning operations without prior obtaining of the appropriate licensing.
- Advising corporations on dawn raids, and seizure and confiscation of assets.
- Successfully representing corporate clients (including financial institutions and multi-national corporations) in respect of the recovery of defrauded funds.
- Advising corporations on risk management and compliance policies, and reporting obligations.
- Advising on regulatory and compliance matters in relation to anti-money laundering and anti-corruption regulations.
- Advising on extradition to the United States of America in multiple cases, including in relation to charges of conspiracy to defraud the US government; charges of wire fraud; charges of theft and bank fraud.
Publications
- Co-author, Singapore monograph in Internal Encyclopedia of Laws: Sports Law (Kluwer Law International, 2019)
- Co-author, Singapore chapter in Women, Business and the Law (Bloomsbury, 2014)