The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday heard the case of a well-known tycoon accused of cheating the daughter of a four-star military general out of $2.5 million.

Tycoon Sok Rathorn, former deputy chief of the Banteay Meanchey Chamber of Commerce, and his wife, 35-year-old Phan Davy, are accused of borrowing $2.5 million from Meas Sopheary, a businesswoman and daughter of Deputy Army Commander-in-Chief Meas Sophea, in October 2013.

The pair offered up a plot of land as collateral for the loan but allegedly asked for the land title back so that they could officially sell it to her. However, instead of returning it to her, they struck up a similar deal with another businesswoman for $1.6 million, pocketing the money from Sopheary.

Sopheary’s lawyer, Hak Sengly, said yesterday that his client wanted the court to “strongly punish” the couple.

“My client has demanded that the two accused return her $2.5 million, pay a $51,000 tax fee, and $1 million compensation,” he said.

A verdict is scheduled to be handed down on June 3.