S$4M transferred through 17 Singapore bank accounts illegally accessed by Malaysian man sentenced to 8 months’ jail
Malaysian man jailed for accessing 17 Singapore bank accounts
SINGAPORE: A job found on Facebook in September 2025 brought Tan Kian Hoa into a transnational syndicate that handled gambling funds and scam proceeds.
The 28-year-old Malaysian was sentenced to eight months’ jail in Singapore on Oct 27 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit unauthorised computer access.
Tan had been promised RM3,500 a month, equivalent to about S$1,090, for work at a site in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (Oct 27).
Pre-loaded phones made bank access easier
The syndicate used a system called Trustpay to track deposits from gamblers and transfers to online casinos. Tan received alerts and checked payments by logging into Singapore bank accounts using phones assigned to him.
Each phone came with a banking app, SIM card and a sticker listing account details and login credentials. Tan took screenshots of payments and sent them to the group through Telegram. He also contacted the casino's customer service staff when bank records didn't match the system’s figures.
Almost S$4 million passed through 17 accounts
The Singapore Police Force received scam reports involving 17 MariBank or GXS Bank accounts under the syndicate’s control. Reported losses ranged from S$150 to S$2,968. The total sum moving through the accounts while Tan worked there reached S$3,996,971.
Tan knew the syndicate’s activities were illegal in Singapore and Malaysia. However, his lawyer, Teo Choo Kee, said only about S$21,000 was linked to scams and argued that Tan didn't know some funds came from scam victims.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jasmin Kaur sought eight months’ jail, citing the large sum handled. Tan was arrested by Malaysian police on July 20 and handed to Singapore police the next day.
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The syndicate had been disrupted in March during a joint operation involving Singapore and nine foreign law enforcement agencies, following information from MariBank.
Conspiracy to commit unauthorised access to computer material carries up to two years’ jail, a fine of S$5,000, or both.
A job offer may look routine, but checking bank accounts for strangers can carry serious legal consequences. Anyone offered easy money for handling other people’s banking details should walk away.