Singaporean woman found guilty of 28 counts of fraud in Taiwan, assisted syndicate with money-laundering
A Singaporean woman has been sentenced to over 31 years in prison in Taiwan for her involvement in a large-scale fraud and money laundering operation that spanned multiple regions.
The woman, identified as Kek Hui Ting, was convicted by two courts in Taiwan after being found guilty of 25 counts of fraud in Yunlin County and three counts in Changhua County.
According to The Straits Times, Kek was sentenced to 30 years and two months in jail by the Yunlin court
Additionally, she was sentenced to one year and six months and fined NT$30,000 (S$1,270) by the Changhua court.
Source: Yunlin District Prosecutors Office
Both courts determined that Kek played a key role in a scam syndicate that defrauded and laundered money through various means.
Singaporean woman laundered money through ATM withdrawals
The 27-year-old arrived in Taiwan on 21 Feb on a tourist visa.
Prior to her arrival, she joined a Telegram group, where she was recruited by a local scam syndicate.
The syndicate promised her a daily payment of S$300 in exchange for her involvement.
She was provided with multiple debit cards across both counties, which she used to withdraw cash from ATMs at the direction of the syndicate leader.
Over a span of four days, from 1 to 4 March, Kek visited several convenience store ATMs and made over 50 withdrawals, totalling approximately NT$ 1.7 million (S$71,000).
Source: Yunlin District Prosecutors Office
The funds were from victims who had fallen prey to the syndicate’s scams on social media platforms.
Suspect caught trying to leave Taiwan
The authorities were alerted to Kek’s activities, and on 8 March, as she attempted to leave Taiwan at the airport, she was arrested.
Footage of her withdrawing cash from the ATM was later released by the Yunlin prosecutor’s office.
Kek testified in the Changhua court that she had not yet been paid by the syndicate. She claimed that her rewards would only be given to her once she left Taiwan.
Following her sentencing, the courts have ordered that Kek be deported to Singapore once she completes her prison term.
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Featured image adapted from the Yunlin District Prosecutors Office.
