Peter Ong Kean Swan (born 7 November 1982) is a Malaysian-Chinese businessman. His companies were essentially pyramid schemes, and have been banned in China, Malaysia and Taiwan due to alleged fraud. ^[1]

Businesses

In 2007 Ong was working as a distributor for the multi-level marketing company Melilea, a company selling health and beauty products. ^[2] In a defamation lawsuit he was charged with breaking his distribution contract and disclosing proprietary information. ^[3] While the newspaper and other defendants were found to be not guilty of defamation, judgment was rendered against Ong and the other two distributors. ^[4] Ong answered the complaint, but chose not to appear in court. ^[4]

The Surewin4u corporate website says that in 2008 Peter Ong launched a successful coffee shop franchise concept. ^[5] That was the year that Peter Ong together with his brother Philip became involved with the Island Red Café (Red Island Coffee) franchise business. ^[6] The Ong brothers devised a multi-level marketing business plan for Island Red Café franchises through their company MLB International. ^[6] The pyramid scheme collapsed, ^{[7] [8]} and in 2011, Ong Tong Swan (Philip Ong), Peter Ong's brother, as a director of Island Red Café, pleaded guilty to fraud. ^[9]

His company website indicates that Peter Ong had also been involved with a multi-level insurance programme, ^{[5] [10]} before creating, in 2011, together with his brother Philip, the Surewin4u Group (圆梦赢家) to promote their gambling winning system. ^[5] In 2012, he founded Dream Success International, which now includes: Surewin4u, Dream Success Property, Dream Success Car Centre, Dream Success Jewelry and Dream Success Coffee. ^[11] On 25 September 2013, Dream Success International and website www.Surewin4u.com were listed by the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia) as engaging in unlicensed activities. ^{[12] [13]} After the Taiwanese government closed down the Taiwan branch of Dream Success International in September 2014 leaving thousands of "investors" without recourse, ^{[14] [15]} Ong Kean Swan said there was nothing he could do ("圆梦无力回天"). ^[13] In early 2015, Dream Winners and Surewin4u were widely revealed as a multi-level pyramid scam that operated not only in Malaysia and Taiwan, but also in Singapore and China. ^{[16] [17] [18] [19]}

Because he could not be found, his surrogates in Singapore ^[20] were sued by a defrauded investor in 2017. The defendants settled out of court. ^{[21] [1]} Estimates of Singapore investors' losses are as high as 50 million Singapore dollars (US $36.7 million). ^[21]

In 2018, Ong was reported in Myanmar (Burma). ^[1]

Life

Ong's family came from Hui'an County, Fujian Province, China, ^[11] and Ong was born in November, in Penang. ^[22] He was born in 1982, ^[23] although some reports indicate 1983. ^[22] His company website indicates that he graduated in information technology from the University of Nottingham in England in 2003. ^[5]

In 2013, Ong was arrested for impersonating Perak royalty and using the title Tengku to which he was not entitled. ^[24]

At his thirty-first birthday celebration in November 2013, he was noted for his philanthropy. ^{[22] [23] [25]}

Honours

•   Pahang :
  • Knight Companion of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (DIMP) - Dato' (2012) ^{[26] [11] [27] [28]}
  • Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) - Dato' Sri (2013) ^[26]

References