SINGAPORE – Saddled by debts, a watch shop employee cheated 14 victims, including his friends and former customers, of nearly $495,000 in total after offering to help acquire rare luxury timepieces.
Soh Jian Kun, who worked at Cortina Watch from 2015 to 2025, claimed he could help obtain multiple timepieces, including Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watches priced at over $22,000 each and Patek Philippe watches worth $35,800 each.
In reality, he had no intention of helping the victims and instead used his ill-gotten gains to pay his debts.
On Jan 2, the 33-year-old, who has made partial restitution totalling $13,000 to two of the victims, pleaded guilty to four counts of cheating involving nearly $306,000. Another 13 charges relating to the remaining amount will be considered during his sentencing on Feb 3.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Lu Yi told the court that Soh was working for Cortina Watch when his salary was increased to an undisclosed amount around 2017 or 2018.
He began applying for credit cards and, at one point, had about seven. He started splurging on luxury purchases and travel, incurring significant credit card debt.
After approaching non-profit social service agency Credit Counselling Singapore for help, he was enrolled in a debt consolidation plan, but was unable to keep up with it.
Soh borrowed money from two licensed moneylenders, and hatched a plan to deceive the victims.
DPP Quek said: “He knew that these victims trusted him by virtue of their relationship with him, and as he was a long-time employee of Cortina Watch.
“He knew that there was a staff purchase scheme in which staff… (could buy) watches which were hard to obtain… for themselves or their next of kin.”
