Frangipani plants and coconut trees front the three-story villa on Sentosa Island where Myanmar tycoon Tay Za stays when he’s in Singapore. It’s one of two houses his family owns in a development overlooking the South China Sea known as a playground for the wealthy.
A short drive away is the Marina Bay Sands casino, where he would often show up carrying a duffel bag stuffed with cash. On a sunny day in June, a yellow Ferrari F8 Spider and a Mercedes were parked outside one of the villas.
Singapore has long been a haven for sanctioned Myanmar businessmen, including Tay Za — who has been accused by the U.S. and others of supplying arms and equipment to the military. He has maintained the right to live and work in Singapore despite sanctions first imposed by the U.S. in 2007, and has incorporated about 10 companies there with operations in palm oil, teak and aviation.