Byron Yeaw Li Xun, 27, has been sentenced to 14 months in jail for a series of cheating offenses, in which he swindled approximately S$17,000 from unsuspecting individuals he approached at various train stations.
In addition to his jail term for cheating, Yeaw received an additional 46 days in jail for violating a remission order. He pleaded guilty to four counts of cheating, with three other charges considered during sentencing.
OUTSTANDING BILLS, FAMILY ISSUES, PARENTS SEVERELY ILL
Yeaw’s criminal activities resumed shortly after he was granted remission while serving a jail sentence for similar offenses.
As per reports, on January 13, Yeaw approached his first victim, 23-year-old Eugene Tan, at Bishan MRT station. He requested a loan of S$3,000, falsely claiming that he needed the money to cover outstanding bills and transport expenses. Yeaw promised to repay the loan in monthly installments with an additional S$200. Mr. Tan agreed and withdrew the cash from an ATM, which he handed over to Yeaw.
Two days later, Yeaw and Mr. Tan met again at Buangkok MRT station, where Yeaw insisted on receiving another S$3,000 for his purported bills. Court documents revealed that Yeaw intended to use the money for gambling and subsequently lost it all.
Mr. Tan reported the incident to the police on the same day.
A month later, on February 1, Yeaw encountered his second victim, 22-year-old Alvin Yu, at Paya Lebar MRT station. Yeaw claimed to be facing “family issues” and persuaded Mr. Yu to lend him S$5,000.
Over the following days, Mr. Yu transferred an additional S$4,000 to Yeaw as he continued to request more money due to his alleged family problems.
Using a similar deceitful approach, Yeaw targeted his third victim, 21-year-old Jerry Wong, at Tanah Merah MRT station a few weeks later. He falsely claimed that his parents were “severely ill” and needed a loan of S$2,000, promising to repay it within a month.
Mr. Wong, out of sympathy, agreed to provide the loan and transferred the money via PayNow. However, Yeaw disappeared a month later, prompting Mr. Wong to file a police report.
This is not the first time Yeaw has engaged in such fraudulent activities.
In September 2022, he was sentenced to one year in jail for similar offenses in which he cheated 78 victims, many of whom were students, out of approximately S$28,000 by feigning urgency and the need for money for transportation and living expenses.
BACK STORY : IN 2022
Byron Yeaw Li Xun was sentenced to one year in jail for a string of cheating offenses in which he exploited the goodwill of strangers. Yeaw’s elaborate deception tactics left 78 victims, many of them students, out of a total of S$28,000.
Over a span of almost four years, Yeaw preyed on the generosity of unsuspecting individuals who believed his fabricated stories of urgent transportation needs and financial distress. His modus operandi involved approaching people at MRT stations, claiming that he needed money for transportation to a distant location. He would provide identification documents to gain their trust and ask for loans to cover his supposed travel expenses.
One particularly egregious incident saw Yeaw borrow S$2,000 from a full-time national serviceman (NSF) who had only S$2,100 in his bank account. When the NSF grew suspicious and refused to lend the remaining S$100, Yeaw’s true intentions became evident.
Yeaw’s criminal behavior continued even after his initial arrest and court appearance in March 2020. He resumed his scams, this time seeking larger loans to fund his gambling habits. As a result, his bail was revoked, and he was remanded in custody in March 2023.
During the court proceedings, the prosecution argued that Yeaw had developed a well-practiced and calculated method of cheating, often targeting younger girls and students who were more susceptible to his manipulative tactics.
Now in 2023, following his release Yeaw was placed under a remission order from October 31 last year to February 27 this year. One condition of the order was that he must not commit any further offenses during this period.
Byron Yeaw Li Xun, who swindled approximately S$28,000 from unsuspecting victims by fabricating stories about urgent transport and living expenses, has been sentenced to one year in jail for his deceitful actions. Following his release, Yeaw was subject to a remission order from October 31st of the previous year to February 27th of the current year, during which he was required to abstain from any further criminal activities. It is important to note that individuals convicted of cheating can face a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, in addition to potential fines.
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