Jail for antique seller who sold customer's 18th-century vase, replaced it with a fake

An antique seller sold a customer's 18th-century vase worth more than $300,000 without his permission, used the proceeds to pay his own debts, and replaced the vase with a fake.

- Nadine Chua

Separately, the seller had also damaged a Chinese calligraphy painting belonging to the same customer while trying to clean it and replaced it with a printed copy.

Kuok Chio, 42, was sentenced to 29 months' jail on March 3, after he had earlier pleaded guilty to three charges — one each of acquiring the benefits of his criminal conduct, criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jordon Li said Kuok operated Chinese Art Centre, which was in the business of commercial antique sales.

In October 2023, Kuok visited the location where the customer, Dr Chan Chi Chin, kept his collection, claiming there was a group of buyers who were interested in purchasing some of the antiques. The two men were acquainted as Dr Chan had bought antiques from Kuok.

After Dr Chan's wife told him she was uncomfortable with letting Kuok handle the sale, Dr Chan told Kuok he was no longer looking to sell his collection.