Foreign Student Jailed for Role in SAF Bulk Order Scam

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/9fcYmEwf9vA

A foreign student has been sentenced to prison for her role in a scam operation that used a fake Singapore Armed Forces bulk order to defraud victims. Rajadi Rajasinghe Manamendra Patabadilage Vishwa Madavi, a 22-year-old Sri Lankan national, was sentenced on October 1 to three months and two weeks in jail and fined $1,100.

The case marks the first sentencing of an individual linked to a recent spate of scams impersonating the SAF. Rajadi pleaded guilty to one charge under the Computer Misuse Act for abetting an unknown person by giving them her bank login details for an illegal purpose. The court heard that she sold her DBS bank account details for $1,100 in September after facing financial difficulties.

After she relinquished control of her account, it was used to receive and funnel illicit proceeds totaling more than $30,000. A significant portion of this sum, $16,000, came from a 59-year-old restaurant owner who fell victim to the fake SAF bulk order scam. The restaurateur received a call from a man identifying himself as "Marcus" from Stagmont Camp, who placed a large order for biryani meals.

The scam escalated when "Marcus" asked the victim to help purchase ready-to-eat meals from a supposed distributor named "Kelvin," claiming army procedures prevented him from buying directly. The victim made multiple PayNow transfers totaling $24,000 to secure these orders, with $16,000 going directly to the phone number linked to Rajadi's bank account. The victim became suspicious when the food was never delivered and the orders were not collected, leading him to file a police report.

An additional $1,980 deposited into Rajadi's account came from a separate victim who transferred money to a scammer posing as her cousin on WhatsApp. Police froze Rajadi's account on September 4 with just $89 remaining inside, and she was arrested on September 15. During her mitigation plea, Rajadi expressed remorse, stating she faced financial hardship and pressure from friends, and that she had disappointed her mother. The judge noted the prevalence of such offences while delivering the sentence.

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