Influencer Pui Yi sues ex-biz partner ‘Mentos’ for RM3.6mil

Siew Pui Yi claims her detention at KLIA last year has affected her reputation as a media personality, social media influencer, actor and music producer. (Facebook pic)

GEORGE TOWN: Social media influencer Siew Pui Yi is looking to recover RM3.61 million purportedly paid to her former business partner who is alleged to have broken a promise to use the funds to settle her tax arrears.

In the suit filed earlier this week, Siew claimed her business partner of six years, nicknamed “Mentos”, had represented that he would be able to assist her in paying off a debt of RM2.5 million owed to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

The suit has been fixed by the High Court here for case management on May 9 pending service of the cause papers on the defendant, Mentos, who Siew claims resides in Sg Petani, Kedah.

FMT is withholding the identity of the defendant pending service of the documents on him.

“The defendant’s representations were fraudulent as the plaintiff (Siew) was detained by an immigration officer at KLIA on Dec 30, 2023 and prevented from leaving the country on grounds that she had been blacklisted (for non-payment of taxes).

“The plaintiff’s detention at KLIA has affected her reputation as a widely-known media personality, social media influencer, actor and music producer, both in Malaysia and overseas,” the statement of claim, sighted by FMT, read.

She is also asking that the court assess the damages suffered, and award her interest and costs.

Siew said she had received an email from the Inland Revenue Board’s (LHDN) Kuala Lumpur branch claiming that she owed RM2.5 million in unpaid taxes and had sought help from Mentos to deal with it.

She said Mentos claimed he knew a tax agent capable of resolving the matter for her.

“(Mentos) claimed the tax arrears could be resolved through instalment payments,” the statement of claim read.

Siew said Mentos requested an initial payment of RM1.3 million, which she paid in cash on June 30, 2022. In November, he asked for another RM600,000, which she also paid.

Siew said a Zoom meeting was held on Nov 23, 2022 between herself, an agent named “Jack” and several LHDN officers.

“The defendant told the plaintiff to remain silent and leave him to conduct the discussion with the other individuals,” the document read.

Siew then agreed to a plan formulated by Mentos, which involved her paying another RM300,000 to secure a “letter of undertaking” followed by another RM1.41 million between January and September 2023 to settle her tax arrears.

She said her detention at KLIA at the end of last year had “disrupted” her work.

“It was only then that the plaintiff came to know that the defendant had not remitted any money to LHDN.

“The plaintiff’s tax arrears stands at RM2.5 million despite the fact that she had paid much more than that sum to the agent, and LHDN officers,” the statement read.

The suit was filed on Siew’s behalf by law firm Mahen & Co.