SINGAPORE: A woman who befriended a person via TikTok agreed to receive money from unknown sources and use it to buy cryptocurrency in exchange for a promised monthly wage of S$5,000 (US$3,900).
Over the course of two weeks, Siti Aminah Rasit, 29, received more than S$159,000 across two bank accounts in her name and converted them into cryptocurrency.
One of these accounts was linked to police reports related to three female victims, at least one of whom fell victim to a love scam.
Siti Aminah was sentenced to five months and two weeks' jail on Tuesday (Sep 9) after she pleaded guilty to a charge under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act for assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct.
Another charge of a similar nature was taken into consideration for her sentencing.
Siti Aminah, a Singaporean, befriended the stranger via TikTok in 2024. This person told her that she was involved in cryptocurrency trading and asked Siti Aminah if she was interested in being a "credit cashier".
Siti Aminah did not reply at the time. However when the person asked again in 2025, Siti Aminah agreed to participate.
She was told that her role was to receive money from customers in her bank account. She was to use the money to buy cryptocurrency via a link to cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com that the person sent her.
She was promised a monthly salary of S$5,000 for doing so.
Between Mar 8 and Mar 13, 2025, she received S$139,023 in an OCBC account. She followed instructions to buy cryptocurrency with the entire sum.
She failed to take reasonable steps to ascertain the source of the money, the prosecution told the court.
The bank account was later linked to three police reports related to three female victims, aged 46, 57, and 70.
The 57-year-old victim lodged a police report on Mar 13 stating that she was a victim of an internet love scam and had transferred S$5,000 to the bank account registered under Siti Aminah's name.
The 46-year-old victim had transferred S$3,750, while the oldest victim transferred S$25,000.
By the time Siti Aminah's OCBC bank account was frozen on Mar 14, only S$78,153.50 was left.
Later, the person told Siti Aminah that her OCBC bank account could no longer be used to receive money and asked for another bank account.
Siti Aminah agreed and provided a Trust Bank account, which received S$20,350 between Mar 12 and Mar 14.
She used the money to purchase cryptocurrency on a cryptocurrency exchange known as Foris Dax Asia for the unknown person.
Siti Aminah was arrested on Apr 11, 2025.
The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Janessa Phua, argued for six to seven months' jail for the accused.
Ms Phua said that general deterrence was paramount, citing the spike in reported scam cases as a factor.
The prosecution pointed out that of the amount received in Siti Aminah's bank account, S$33,750 was verified to be scam proceeds. One of the victims who made a police report was a vulnerable 70-year-old, Ms Phua added.
Siti Aminah was represented by lawyer A Revi Shanker, who urged the court to jail his client for between four and six months.
Mr Shanker said his client was a good person who fell into a trap after failing to ascertain the source of the money.
While she was promised a monthly salary of S$5,000, she received only around S$80, he said.
His client was "naive" and did not realise that she had been used, he added. She is remorseful and will be "extra careful" in the future, the lawyer said.
District Judge Vince Gui noted that scams were a growing concern and a deterrent sentence was needed. He told Siti Aminah that her actions had perpetrated the scams.
For the offence, Siti Aminah could have been jailed for up to three years, or fined up to S$50,000, or both.
Continue reading...
Over the course of two weeks, Siti Aminah Rasit, 29, received more than S$159,000 across two bank accounts in her name and converted them into cryptocurrency.
One of these accounts was linked to police reports related to three female victims, at least one of whom fell victim to a love scam.
Siti Aminah was sentenced to five months and two weeks' jail on Tuesday (Sep 9) after she pleaded guilty to a charge under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act for assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct.
Another charge of a similar nature was taken into consideration for her sentencing.
Siti Aminah, a Singaporean, befriended the stranger via TikTok in 2024. This person told her that she was involved in cryptocurrency trading and asked Siti Aminah if she was interested in being a "credit cashier".
Siti Aminah did not reply at the time. However when the person asked again in 2025, Siti Aminah agreed to participate.
She was told that her role was to receive money from customers in her bank account. She was to use the money to buy cryptocurrency via a link to cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com that the person sent her.
She was promised a monthly salary of S$5,000 for doing so.
Between Mar 8 and Mar 13, 2025, she received S$139,023 in an OCBC account. She followed instructions to buy cryptocurrency with the entire sum.
She failed to take reasonable steps to ascertain the source of the money, the prosecution told the court.
The bank account was later linked to three police reports related to three female victims, aged 46, 57, and 70.
The 57-year-old victim lodged a police report on Mar 13 stating that she was a victim of an internet love scam and had transferred S$5,000 to the bank account registered under Siti Aminah's name.
The 46-year-old victim had transferred S$3,750, while the oldest victim transferred S$25,000.
By the time Siti Aminah's OCBC bank account was frozen on Mar 14, only S$78,153.50 was left.
STRANGER ASKS FOR ANOTHER BANK ACCOUNT
Later, the person told Siti Aminah that her OCBC bank account could no longer be used to receive money and asked for another bank account.
Siti Aminah agreed and provided a Trust Bank account, which received S$20,350 between Mar 12 and Mar 14.
She used the money to purchase cryptocurrency on a cryptocurrency exchange known as Foris Dax Asia for the unknown person.
Siti Aminah was arrested on Apr 11, 2025.
The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Janessa Phua, argued for six to seven months' jail for the accused.
Ms Phua said that general deterrence was paramount, citing the spike in reported scam cases as a factor.
The prosecution pointed out that of the amount received in Siti Aminah's bank account, S$33,750 was verified to be scam proceeds. One of the victims who made a police report was a vulnerable 70-year-old, Ms Phua added.
Siti Aminah was represented by lawyer A Revi Shanker, who urged the court to jail his client for between four and six months.
Mr Shanker said his client was a good person who fell into a trap after failing to ascertain the source of the money.
While she was promised a monthly salary of S$5,000, she received only around S$80, he said.
His client was "naive" and did not realise that she had been used, he added. She is remorseful and will be "extra careful" in the future, the lawyer said.
District Judge Vince Gui noted that scams were a growing concern and a deterrent sentence was needed. He told Siti Aminah that her actions had perpetrated the scams.
For the offence, Siti Aminah could have been jailed for up to three years, or fined up to S$50,000, or both.
Continue reading...