AS empires go, this one is just as complex.

Click Sunshine Empire on the Internet and you see the Empire Group Alliance (EGA).

Who's on top? That's not clear.

On the same website, you see links to Empire Property Venture, Emall Empire, Emcom and Emcall. These organisations are listed as affiliates.

And some of these companies share the same address at the HDB Hub in ToaPayoh. So they're all related, right?

No, said Sunshine Empire's Asia Pacific president Jackie Hoo Choon Cheat.

He also explained that Sunshine Empire is not an investment firm but a 'network marketing company'.

He did not elaborate on the nature of its business.

'The media confuse EGA and other associate (but legally unrelated) companies with Sunshine Empire, and so allege that Sunshine Empire is a financial investment scheme.

'This is untrue.'

On Sunshine Empire's website, EGA is said to be 'a multinational conglomerate with an impressive presence over Asia Pacific and having strong market share in their various specialised sectors such as building marketing channels, E-commerce, telecommunications, wireless Internet development, online shopping, and real estate.'

A LawNet report showed EGA's business activities was originally listed as 'to promote healthy lifestyle activities and to market personal and beauty care products'.

Why are the different companies housed in the same address?

Mr Hoo said: 'It is common business practice for companies to share the same registered address.

'We see no great significant (sic) in this aspect.'

Apart from Sunshine Empire, six other companies including Empire Emall, Emcall Singapore and Empire Investment Group are located on the 7th floor of Block 490, Toa Payoh Lorong 6.

These companies have diverse business interests, from energy and mining to an e-mall similar to eBay.

Not only does Emcom and Sunshine Empire share the same address, they share some personalities.

A LawNet search showed that Sunshine Empire's spokesman, James Phang, is also a shareholder of of Emcom, the organisation that claims to have plans to invest $20million inTaiwan.

But Mr Hoo said that Sunshine Empire is not involved in any of these projects at all.

He said: '(These projects are) not carried out by Sunshine Empire.'

A LawNet search on MrPhang showed he is the director of 18 companies and a shareholder in 10. Not all of them have links to Empire.

Mr Phang is also the director and only shareholder of EGA.

On the Sunshine Empire website, Mr Phang is said to be the company's international president.

The same personnel are also found in the records of some of the seven companies at HDBHub.

For example, four of the companies have the same secretary.

A Low Liy Huang Doreen is listed as the secretary for Sunshine Empire, EmCom, Emcall and Empire Emall.