Singaporean Brothers Allegedly Masterminded $41 Million Cambodia Scam Ring
an international manhunt is underway for 27 Singaporeans linked to a sophisticated scam operation based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, resulting in at least $41 million in losses. Authorities believe the ring was orchestrated by two brothers and their cousin.
Singaporean authorities are pursuing those allegedly involved in 438 scam cases, with the operation believed to have been established sometime in 2024. The alleged mastermind is Ng Wei Liang, 32, who is now among those wanted by the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
According to reports, Wei Liang recruited his 33-year-old brother, Wei kang, a renovation contractor, and his 29-year-old girlfriend, Christy Neo Wei En, to assist in the scheme. Wei liang’s cousin, Lester Ng Jing Hai, 29, is also implicated as a high-ranking member of the syndicate. wei Kang, Neo, and Jing Hai were charged in September under the Organised Crime Act and were denied bail on October 2 due to concerns about potential collusion. Twelve other individuals, including two malaysians and a filipina, were also charged in connection with the case.
The alleged scam involved impersonating government officials to dupe victims in Singapore out of their money.Scammers initially contacted victims posing as bank employees, utilizing a Singaporean accent to build trust. Victims were then transferred to individuals impersonating police officers or representatives from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, falsely claiming their bank accounts were under examination. Victims were afterward instructed to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the syndicate.
The SPF launched a coordinated operation in both Cambodia and Singapore on September 9, disrupting the gang’s activities. Authorities are now working with international counterparts and Interpol to issue Red Notices – requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest the suspects.
The investigation has revealed a pattern of prior offenses among some of those on the run. One individual, Poh yang Ting, was fined $2,500 in May 2020 for attending an unlawful gathering during Singapore’s circuit breaker lockdown. Andrew Tay Jing An visited an illegally operated KTV outlet in June 2020, while Francis Tan Thuan Heng was linked to vice-related offenses in 2015.More serious prior convictions include Leon Chia Tee Song, who was charged with armed robbery in 2016, and Brian Sie Eng Fa, who received probation for a fake charity drive in 2013.
A neighbor of Wei Liang, who resides in circuit Road, stated they hadn’t seen him in approximately a year, adding that he had lived with his parents there for over two decades. Attempts to reach Wei Liang at his home were unsuccessful.
Wei liang’s business ventures prior to the alleged scam operation included furniture manufacturing and directorships in two events companies, an advertising firm, and a management consultancy between 2014 and 2021.One of the events firms has a connection to Lam Yong yan, another Singaporean currently wanted in connection with the scam.Lam Yong Yan took over as director of the company promptly after Wei Liang stepped down in July 2021.
Adding another layer to the case, Finan Siow, a former student and rugby player at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), is also among the 27 fugitives. Siow,who currently resides in Hougang,has been a director and shareholder of a household cleaning service since february 2023.
A relative of Wei Kang, speaking anonymously, expressed shock at the allegations. “It has all come as a shock to us.We’ve been married for eight years and he’s a very ordinary man,” she said. she described Wei Kang as primarily staying at home and running a renovation firm with his father, and noted limited contact with Wei Liang, who she believed was living overseas. business records indicate Wei Kang also operated a massage parlor registered at Maude Road in Little India.
Authorities believe the gang members shared a penchant for gambling and were initially recruited while gambling overseas. The SPF has urged anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the fugitives to contact their hotline at 1800-255-0000 (or +65-6255-0000 for international callers) or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness, assuring strict confidentiality.
