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A 45-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to four
years and five months imprisonment for deceiving a 16-year-old girl into sexual
relations through false financial promises. The case, which began in early
2022, involved the accused Tan Yan Zhe who first contacted the victim through
an online marketplace platform.
The teenage victim had posted on a classifieds platform
identifying herself as a "17-year-old Chinese girl looking to make
friends." Tan responded to this advertisement, initially offering to
provide "pocket money" in exchange for companionship. Their
communications later moved to Telegram, where Tan progressively increased his
monetary offers.
Court documents reveal that Tan first proposed S$2,500
monthly, then raised it to S$5,000 when the girl showed no interest. He
specifically inquired about her boundaries, offering S$100 for sexual relations
or S$150 per hour for platonic meetings, which the teenager rejected as
insufficient.
The situation escalated on July 3, 2022, when Tan arranged
for transportation to bring the girl to his apartment complex. There, he made
an enhanced offer of S$5,000 cash plus S$6,000 in credit card allowance monthly
(totaling S$11,000) for sexual relations. He additionally dangled the incentive
of a new iPhone to be given at a future meeting.
During their encounter in a female toilet cubicle within the
apartment's common area, Tan initiated physical contact, attempting to engage
in sexual activity despite the victim's repeated refusals. The girl
consistently demanded payment upfront, which Tan avoided by claiming he would
pay afterward. The interaction culminated in Tan coercing the girl into
performing a sexual act, after which he failed to honor any of his financial
promises.
The victim subsequently reported the incident to
authorities, leading to Tan's arrest. On June 23, 2025, Tan pleaded guilty to
one count of obtaining services through dishonest means, along with two
additional fraud charges related to separate financial scams.
In sentencing, the court emphasized the predatory nature of
Tan's actions, noting his calculated approach in gradually increasing offers to
manipulate the underage victim. The judge highlighted the significant age
difference and the psychological impact on the young victim, who received none
of the promised compensation.
This case has brought attention to the vulnerabilities of
minors in online spaces and the methods predators use to exploit them. Legal
experts note that the sentence reflects Singapore's tough stance on crimes
involving the exploitation of minors, particularly those involving sexual
misconduct combined with financial deception.
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