The AI startup founder and his web of lies

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Changing your name is a hassle but a relatively easy effort in exchange for a new start.

To change your legal name, a Singapore citizen can sign a document called a deed poll in the presence of a qualified lawyer for just S$50 (US$37). (This can vary depending on the law firm providing the service)

Changing your legal name in official documents such as your identity card and passport costs another S$60 (US$45) and S$80 (US$60), respectively. Then there’s informing all relevant parties – including banks, insurance companies, and your employer – of the change, which takes time.

This can be a cumbersome process, but again, it is a small effort for someone looking to lie low and avoid scrutiny.

Lee Seng Fook, the former CTO of Elipva, a Singapore-based software development startup established in the late 1990s, didn’t change his legal name. But he went by “Dennis Lee” back then. He sought a fresh start in China after he was found to have faked his credentials and awards.

Two decades later, he reemerged as “Jon Lee” when he founded AI startup Vizzio Technologies in Singapore.

That seemed to do the trick for a while, though Lee’s past life – and new lies – eventually caught up with him.

Today we look at:

• The serial liar at the helm of up-and-coming AI startup Vizzio Technologies
• Multicountry digital banking group Tyme’s revenue milestone
• Other newsy highlights such as a chatbot designed for farmers

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An AI company built on lies

Image credit: Timmy Loen

Backed by prominent investors like Singtel Innov8 and Kai-Fu Lee-led Sinovation Ventures, Vizzio Technologies was the only Singapore-based company to make it to The Information’s 50 most promising startups lists in October 2023.

Tale as old as Tyme

Quick bytes