Man jailed for serving to Cambodia rip-off syndicate cheat Singapore victims of practically S$656,800

SINGAPORE: After being launched from jail on remission for a previous dishonest offence, a person flew to Cambodia the place he focused individuals in Singapore by way of authorities official impersonation scams. 

After returning to Singapore, he collected near S$656,800 (US$516,900) from at the least 14 victims. 

Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Rahman, 37, was sentenced to 60 months’ jail on Friday (Aug 28) for being a part of an organised prison group and aiding one other to retain advantages from prison conduct. As he re-offended throughout his remission interval, he might want to serve a further 236 days in jail.

A remission order means the person was launched sooner than his scheduled launch date. The order required him to not commit an offence between Sep 24, 2024 and Aug 3, 2025. 

He pleaded responsible to each fees and one different cost was considered.

THE SYNDICATE

Firdaus, a Singaporean, was convicted in 2022 for dishonest and sentenced to 31 months’ jail. He now not had an e-tag after he was launched on remission.

Someday earlier than October 2024, Firdaus’ good friend, named Jackson Lim Quickly Lai in court docket paperwork, contacted him a few “rip-off job” in Cambodia. Jackson informed him that he can be given a fundamental pay of S$1,000 on high of a 3 per cent fee.

Jackson additionally made the identical supply to a different man, known as Chris Jerome within the paperwork. Firdaus, who knew that Lim was concerned in criminal activity, accepted the supply.

On Oct 3, 2024, the boys flew to Cambodia and took a van from the airport to an space close to one among Cambodia’s borders.

Firdaus and Chris Jerome had been introduced into an workplace that was guarded by round 15 individuals and a few guard canines. They had been briefed on the best way to make the rip-off calls and instructed to name Singapore telephone numbers. They had been informed to say that they had been from the Singapore Cyber Emergency Response Group and that the calls had been over cybersecurity points.

If the individual they referred to as believed them, they had been to switch the decision to a different line the place another person would converse to the caller. If the individual acquired scammed and transferred cash to the syndicate, Firdaus and Chris Jerome would get a minimize relying on who made the primary name.

Firdaus noticed there have been about 60 individuals within the workplace, together with ladies who carried out web love scams. 

AT LEAST 14 VICTIMS

Firdaus referred to as and scammed individuals for a few month. He was later hospitalised and the rip-off syndicate paid for his medical charges. After he was discharged, he determined to return to Singapore alone.

Whereas in Singapore, Jackson informed Firdaus to feed him details about the Singapore Police Pressure and/or Financial Authority of Singapore, asking for footage and particulars on their actions which had been publicly obtainable on-line.

Firdaus knew Jackson needed this info to make use of them within the scams and helped him out.

On Apr 19, 2025, Jackson requested Firdaus to assist him gather cash packages and hand them off to an one other individual. 

Firdaus, who was informed he can be paid for his help, knew that the cash had been advantages from prison conduct and that Jackson was nonetheless based mostly in Cambodia with transnational prison syndicates and committing dishonest offences, court docket paperwork learn.

However Firdaus didn’t ask additional and accepted Jackson’s supply. Between Apr 19, 2025 and Could 5, 2025, Firdaus collected S$656,788 from at the least 14 victims at numerous areas from malls to HBD blocks.

He obtained at the least S$1,000 for doing so.

MEDICAL CONDITION

Firdaus was represented by Mr Tham Kok Leong and Mr Chua Jun Qian from Tactica Regulation. 

Mr Chua informed the court docket on Friday that his consumer suffered a “life-changing cardiac situation” earlier this yr. “These should not minor illnesses that may merely be handled with panadol,” he mentioned, asking that the court docket accord mitigating weight to his consumer’s unwell well being.

Whereas the submitted medical stories famous it was unlikely that there can be a disproportionate impact on Firdaus’ well being if he served a chronic jail sentence, the defence lawyer mentioned there was a danger that one thing may occur to his consumer.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Xavier Tan agreed with Mr Chua concerning the dangers however informed the court docket that Firdaus’ illnesses didn’t rise to the extent which warranted judicial mercy or constituted a mitigating issue.

He sought 67 to 75 months’ jail for Firdaus, with a further 237 to 267 days’ imprisonment. 

In sentencing, District Choose Ng Cheng Thiam touched on the sentencing low cost he had thought of. Based on plead-guilty pointers, a 30 per cent “low cost” is imposed on those that point out they intend to plead responsible early.

Choose Ng mentioned that he initially positioned a 25 per cent low cost on Firdaus’ sentence however raised it to 30 per cent, in gentle of the latter’s medical situation. He famous that this didn’t apply to the extra sentencing.

For being a part of an organised prison group, Firdaus may have been fined as much as S$100,000, or jailed as much as 5 years, or each.

For aiding one other to retain advantages from prison conduct, he may have been fined as much as  S$500,000 or jailed as much as 10 years, or each.