Singaporean influencer Chin Tung Sheng, who had over 334,000 Instagram followers, was sentenced to 32 months and one week in jail on March 19, 2025, after pleading guilty to seven charges, including cheating, theft, and forgery.
The 26-year-old, once known for his extravagant lifestyle on social media, had committed fraud over a long period. District Judge Kenneth Chin described him as a "prolific fraudster" who continued his crimes despite receiving a 24-month conditional warning on January 8, 2021. Some of his offenses took place during this warning period, and he only stopped when he was caught.
One of his crimes involved cheating a food delivery rider on July 21, 2022. He manipulated a PayNow receipt to make it appear as though he had paid S$63 for his order but never made the actual transfer.
Another major offense was the break-in at a Sentosa bungalow between November and December 2023. He visited the property several times under the pretense of being a prospective tenant before stealing luxury items worth about S$200,000, including display ornaments and Louis Vuitton trunks. None of the stolen items were recovered.
Chin also scammed a luxury hotel in July 2022. He booked a stay at Amara Sanctuary Sentosa and used a doctored PayNow receipt to deceive hotel staff into believing he had paid over S$13,200.
Between August 2020 and April 2021, he ran a fraudulent scheme at ION Orchard. He created more than 25 fake accounts and forged payment receipts to accumulate membership points. These points were then exchanged for shopping vouchers worth over S$76,900 on at least 96 occasions.
Chin also fabricated financial documents to impress potential business partners. In 2020, he forged bank statements to make it appear as though he had over S$1.8 billion in one account and S$16.9 million in another. Additionally, he manipulated a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office to make it seem like it was addressed solely to him in appreciation for supplying medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The judge noted that Chin had premeditated many of his crimes and showed no regard for the law, even after previous warnings. Despite his claims of remorse, he has not made restitution for the damages and thefts.
Chin’s sentence highlights the serious consequences of fraudulent activities and how social media influencers who deceive the public can face legal action.
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