Yang Yin, the former tour guide who was convicted of cheating a rich Singaporean widow of $1.1 million, is no longer a Singapore permanent resident.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) revoked his permanent residency status after he was convicted in September last year for two offences of criminal breach of trust and sentenced to six years in jail.
Confirming the revocation, the ICA told The Straits Times: "Any permanent resident (PR) who has been convicted of an offence will have his PR status reviewed by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority."
It said Yang Yin's PR status was revoked on Nov 1 last year.
The authority had previously told ST that individuals who provide false information in their application for immigration facilities will be dealt with firmly under the law.
Besides being convicted of cheating Madam Chung Khin Chun, 90, Yang was also jailed for two years and two months in September last year for a slew of crimes over his immigration status, including falsifying receipts for a sham company in order to stay in Singapore.
The 42-year-old Chinese na- tional is serving the sentences consecutively.
When the case broke in 2014, questions had been raised about how the former tour guide had been granted permanent residency here. He was subsequently found to have lied to the ICA that he was running a profitable business and earning a salary via his sham company Young Music and Dance Studio, so it would grant him PR status, and his wife, a long-term visit pass. He was convicted of the offence.
The ICA had said previously that PR applications are decided by factors including qualifications, income and length of stay here. It also has a longstanding policy of revoking the PR status of foreigners who are convicted of crimes.
In August 2012, the law was amended to make it administratively easier for the ICA to revoke permanent residency.
Then, Mr S. Iswaran, who was second minister for home affairs, said that while the vast majority of Singapore PRs do not pose any threat to Singapore's law and order, the amendment would send out a clear message that PRs must respect and abide by Singapore's laws.
Though Yang faces a total of eight years and two months in jail, there is a chance that he will remain in jail longer because the prosecution has appealed against the sentence.
The appeal scheduled to be heard yesterday was postponed. The new date has not been fixed.
Meanwhile, ST understands that Yang has been moved from Changi Prison to Admiralty West Prison.
Besides the criminal cases, Yang has also been sued by the widow's niece, Madam Hedy Mok, for allegedly manipulating the elderly woman into handing over her assets worth an estimated $40 million.
The civil case is still ongoing.
