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SINGAPORE: A Malaysian man who started out as a money mule for a syndicate that harvested bank accounts later became a handler involved in the opening of 100 bank accounts in Singapore, through which more than S$4.3 million (US$3.4 million) flowed.<\/p>\n
Of this, S$22,230 was traced to reported scam cases.<\/p>\n
Besmond Huan Yu Kang, 24, was sentenced on Wednesday (May 6) to seven years and four months’ jail and a fine of S$5,400.<\/p>\n
He pleaded guilty to eight charges which include cheating, abetting a conspiracy by providing internet banking details to allow unauthorised access to bank accounts, and crimes under the Computer Misuse Act. Another 25 charges were taken into consideration.<\/p>\n
In sentencing, the judge said scams are a major and fast-growing concern, noting that Huan worked for a transnational criminal syndicate.<\/p>\n
The court heard that Huan was in Malaysia in November 2023 when he came across a Facebook post advertising a high-paying job in Singapore.<\/p>\n
He responded to the ad and was introduced to a person known only as “Ah Wei”.<\/p>\n
Ah Wei was a handler of a syndicate that harvested bank accounts and that recruited Malaysian money mules and guided them to open bank accounts in Singapore for the syndicate’s illegal use.<\/p>\n
Huan accepted a job opening and surrendering Singapore bank accounts to the syndicate in exchange for RM300 (S$96) per month.<\/p>\n
He asked Ah Wei and another person associated with the syndicate if the bank accounts were used for scams, but was told that they were used not for scams but for other undisclosed purposes.<\/p>\n
Huan did not probe further and instead accepted the job to earn quick cash.<\/p>\n
Under Ah Wei’s guidance, Huan applied for a work permit, attended a medical checkup and opened five bank accounts with various banks in Singapore using his work permit card.<\/p>\n
He handed the ATM cards, internet banking login details and passwords to Ah Wei, who in turn gave the information to others in the syndicate.<\/p>\n
Huan continued working for the syndicate until March 2024, when Ah Wei offered him a job as a handler.<\/p>\n
He was to accompany people from Malaysia to Singapore and guide them to open bank accounts using in-principle approvals or work permit cards, which the syndicate would obtain for them.<\/p>\n
Huan was also to collect work permit cards or authorisation letters occasionally to facilitate the opening of the bank accounts.<\/p>\n
He was also to supply the banking login details to the syndicate and perform other administrative work.<\/p>\n
Huan suspected he would be part of a transnational syndicate if he took the job. He found out that the accounts were used for illegal online gambling and also suspected that they would be used for money laundering.<\/p>\n
However, he accepted the job, which paid RM2,500 per month with a commission of RM175 per person he handled.<\/p>\n
Between May 2024 and August 2024, Huan accompanied 12 money mules from Malaysia to Singapore and guided them to open 39 bank accounts with banks such as DBS, OCBC, Maybank and UOB.<\/p>\n
For his participation in the syndicate, Huan was paid a total of RM18,300.<\/p>\n
As a result of his work, seven banks in Singapore were cheated into opening a total of 102 bank accounts.<\/p>\n
Of these, 100 were handed over to the syndicate for illegal use. The total amount that flowed through the accounts was more than S$4.3 million. Of this sum, S$22,230 was traced to scam reports.<\/p>\n
In August 2024, the Royal Malaysia Police alerted the Singapore Police Force that Huan and others had been arrested in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, for harvesting Singapore bank accounts which were used for illegal purposes.<\/p>\n
Huan was extradited to Singapore on Aug 18, 2024 and charged a day later. He has been remanded since.<\/p>\n
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wayde Chan sought seven years and five months’ jail and a fine of S$5,500 for Huan.<\/p>\n
He said Huan had come to Singapore for the sole purpose of committing crimes, and a strong signal had to be sent that transnational syndicates seeking to proliferate and take root in Singapore will be severely dealt with.<\/p>\n
Huan’s lawyer, Mr Ashvin Hariharan from Ashvin Law, sought not more than 55 to 56 months’ jail instead, with a fine of S$5,433.27.<\/p>\n
He said his client was pleading guilty and had cooperated with the authorities at all times, providing investigation officers with all the information he had about the syndicate.<\/p>\n
In sentencing, District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt said the number of reported scam cases has increased manifold over the years.<\/p>\n
He agreed with the aggravating factors highlighted by the prosecutor, including the fact that Huan worked for a transnational criminal syndicate.<\/p>\n
Judge Chay said the “outsized capability of” the syndicate and the harm caused by the offences are reflected in the number of bank accounts involved and the large quantum of funds flowing through the accounts.<\/p>\n
For abetting a conspiracy by providing internet banking details to allow unauthorised access to bank accounts, Huan could have been jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to S$500,000, or both.<\/p>\n
One of his handlers, Tan Kang Yung, was jailed in December 2025 for five years and 10 months and fined S$2,000.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n