Singapore police are investigating oil trading firm Hin Leong, which filed for bankruptcy protection last week amid the slump in oil prices.
Investigations are underway, the Singapore Police Force said today. It declined to provide more details.
Hin Leong made around $800mn in futures losses in recent years that were not reflected in its financial results, according to a court filing by its sister company Ocean Tankers, which also filed for protection from creditors.
Hin Leong and Ocean Tankers did not reply to requests for comment.
Hin Leong had assets of $714mn but total liabilities of $4.05bn as of 9 April, the filing shows. It ran into "severe financial difficulties" because of falling oil prices, moves by bank lenders to reduce their exposure to the commodity financing industry, and a drop in demand for oil and bunkers caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lenders are laying claim to around 2.8mn bl of oil product cargoes held by the firm, which could prevent these supplies from leaving the region and add to already full oil tanks in Singapore.