Man arrested after allegedly extorting S$200,000 and coercing sexual acts from woman

SINGAPORE: A 33-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly extorting about S$200,000 from a woman so that compromising videos of herself would not circulated. He also purportedly coerced her into engaging in sexual acts with him.

In a news release on Saturday (Jan 30), the police said that on Oct 10 last year at about 10pm, they received a report from a woman stating that she was extorted by a man she had befriended online on a dating app.

She said that the man had asked her to send compromising videos of herself before they met, and that he had requested to meet in Malaysia.

"While the victim was in Malaysia, the man sent a driver to pick her up and she was purportedly threatened to engage in sexual acts with the driver so that her compromising videos would not be circulated. The victim relented to the demand," said SPF.

After returning to Singapore, the victim continued to receive threats from the man, who demanded that she transfer money to him to prevent the videos from being leaked.

Between February and October 2020, the victim transferred about S$200,000 to a bank account provided by the man.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that the man who befriended the woman online is believed to be the driver that the man had sent to pick up the victim," said the police.

With the assistance of the Royal Malaysia Police, the man was arrested on Thursday. 

"The man is also believed to be involved in similar reported cases involving other female victims," said SPF, adding that investigations are ongoing.

He will be charged in court on Saturday. If found guilty of extortion, he can be jailed between two to seven years and caned.

“On behalf of the Singapore Police Force, I would like to thank the Royal Malaysia Police for their invaluable assistance in helping to make this arrest possible," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Julius Lim, Commander of Bedok Police Division.

“This is yet another example of the deep friendship and partnership built between both law enforcement agencies over the years. Transnational criminals who seek to harm our residents should expect to feel the long arm of the law,” said AC Lim, whose division helped establish the identity of the man.