A polytechnic student masterminded a scam on online marketplace Carousell that duped 147 victims who wanted to buy mobile phones into paying him a total of $360,600.
Teo Jun Hao then went to Thailand with his ill-gotten gains and used the money to gamble.
Teo, 24, and his then girlfriend Vanessa Chew Shi Qing, 26, were arrested at Changi Airport on Oct 25, 2022, when they returned to Singapore.
He was sentenced to four years and four months’ jail on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to one count of cheating and two counts of dealing with the benefits of criminal activities. Chew’s case is pending.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Zhi Hao told the court that Teo had hatched the scam without Chew’s knowledge, some time on or before Aug 27, 2022, to fund his gambling activities on illegal platforms.
As part of his ruse, Teo went on Carousell and claimed he had devices such as new iPhones for sale at discounted rates even though he did not have the items and knew that he could not fulfil any of the orders.
The DPP told the court: “Teo (had) sought the assistance of his friends from his polytechnic to write fictitious positive reviews of his Carousell account to boost (its) business reputation.
“During the period of offending, he wanted his Carousell account to ‘look more believable’ so as to entice the victims.”
The prosecutor did not disclose the polytechnic’s name.
The Straits Times
