Commissioner of Charities prohibits Lim Kah Kheng from conducting fund-raising appeals for charitable purposes

The Commissioner of Charities (“COC”) has issued an order under Section 37(1) of the Charities Act 1994 (refer to the Annex) to prohibit Lim Kah Kheng (“Lim”) from conducting any fund-raising appeal for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes with effect from 9 December 2025.

• On 17 November 2025, Lim was convicted and sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment for four counts of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. Another eight counts of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871 and three counts of theft in dwelling under Section 380 of the Penal Code 1871 were also taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing.

• The conviction was in relation to a donation scam he had orchestrated under the guise of social entrepreneurship and charitable work. Police investigations revealed that the scam operation affected more than 12,600 victims and collected fraudulent donations exceeding $106,000.

• In view of the above, the COC is satisfied that Lim is not a fit and proper person to administer or to be associated with a fund-raising appeal for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes. Hence, to protect the interest of the public, the COC has decided to prohibit Lim from conducting any further fund-raising appeals with effect from 9 December 2025.

Public Advisory

• Mr Desmond Chin, Commissioner of Charities said, “The Office of the Commissioner of Charities will not hesitate to take firm action against those who exploit the public’s trust and generosity for personal gain. While most fund-raising appeals are genuine, we encourage members of the public to ask for more details and ensure their donations are used for genuine charitable purposes.”

• Members of the public are advised to exercise discernment when approached by individuals or organisations conducting fund-raising activities, and not to feel pressured to donate immediately. It is important for the public to continue practicing safer giving to ensure their donations are used for genuine charitable purposes. This can be done by practicing three simple steps: Ask, Check, Give.

  • a) First, members of the public should ask questions, such as (i) who the beneficiaries are, (ii) what the donations will be used for, and (iii) how much of the donations goes to the beneficiary or the charity.

  • a)    Second, check if the organisation or beneficiary is a registered/exempt charity or foreign fund-raising permit holder, or has disclosed details of their public fund-raising appeal via any of the following channels:

    • Charity Portal (www.charities.gov.sg ↗ (opens in new tab))

    • Scan QR code on the official letter from the organisation (which will lead to disclosure details on Charity Portal)

    • SMS to 79777 in the following format FROrganisation Name

    • Call Charities Unit hotline at 6337 6597

  • Finally, give with a peace of mind once donors are assured that their donations are for a genuine cause.

• Members of the public should not give money or personal information, credit card details or online account details to anyone they do not know or trust. If in doubt, donate directly through the organisation’s official website.

• If there are any serious concerns regarding suspicious charitable fund-raising activities, the public can report the matter to the COC at mccy_charities@mccy.gov.sg ↗ (opens in new tab). If fraud or scams are suspected, members of the public should file a Police report immediately. More information can be found at go.gov.sg/safergiving. ↗ (opens in new tab)

Annex ↗ (opens in new tab)