Man arrested for allegedly cheating friend of at least $186,000
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The man is set to be charged in court on Oct 23 with cheating.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
- A 43-year-old man was arrested in Singapore on Oct 21 after allegedly cheating his 69-year-old friend of at least $186,000.
- Police said the victim had lost money in a cryptocurrency scam, and the man allegedly asked for payments over 15 months for “legal fees”, “witness protection fees” and other charges.
- He will be charged on Oct 23. If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years’ jail and a fine. Police warned people to check upfront fees and report scams quickly.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – A 43-year-old man was arrested on Oct 21 after he allegedly cheated his 69-year-old friend of at least $186,000.
The older man was a victim of a cryptocurrency scam and he had initially confided in the younger man about his losses.
In a statement on Oct 22, the police said they received a report on Sept 27 that the older man had made several payments to the younger man, who had allegedly said he could help recover the losses.
Over 15 months, the younger man allegedly requested multiple transfers from the older man for purported legal fees, witness protection fees and other administrative fees.
He was also believed to have sought further payments by saying that the matter could be heard in overseas courts, the police said.
Officers managed to establish the identity of the suspect through ground inquiries and follow-up investigations before arresting him.
The man is set to be charged in court on Oct 23 with cheating.
If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years’ jail and a fine.
The police reminded members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with people who claim to be able to recover money lost to scams or other fraudulent schemes in exchange for payments or fees.
Upfront payments should be verified, especially when these are said to be required for legal, administrative or processing purposes, the police said.
“If you suspect that you have fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately to report and block any fraudulent transactions, and lodge a police report,” they added.