A 49-year-old man was fined S$5,000 for deceiving concert organizers by impersonating a bodyguard of princess from the Selangor royal family to gain early entry into a concert for South Korean boy band Enhypen, hoping to provide expedited access for his 17-year-old daughter and her friend.
The incident occurred at the Singapore Indoor Stadium during the band’s Fate world tour on January 20 and 21, 2024.
The Singaporean man, whose identity remains undisclosed to protect his daughter under the Children and Young Persons Act, pleaded guilty to one count of cheating by personation.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED :
According to Channel News Asia, the court was informed that a 17-year-old girl had purchased tickets for two shows of the Enhypen World Tour scheduled for January 2024, with her father assisting to cover the costs for her and a friend.
On January 20, the father contacted the event organizer, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), claiming to be the bodyguard of a princess from the Selangor royal family who supposedly was attending the concert. He explained that he did not hold any tickets and asked for special access to ensure the princess’s safety.
In response, the organizer requested that he arrive earlier on January 20 for entry facilitation. The man shared this plan with his daughter, intending to prevent her from having to wait in line and to keep an eye on her during the event.
On the day of the concert, the father dressed in a ‘suit’ to resemble a bodyguard and arrived at the venue with his daughter and her friend. He again claimed to be the ‘princess’s bodyguard’ and received a lanyard and two wristbands, granting him special early entry for both concert dates.
However, the two girls were not given any special tickets, as their own tickets were valid.
During the concert, the father positioned himself at the entrance where he could monitor his daughter in her seat. After the show concluded, they all left together.
However, an event manager at the Singapore Sports Hub started to suspect that the man was not who he claimed to be and alerted the security team at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
“Following the concert, an event manager began to be suspicious of the accused and informed the security team,” Deputy Public Prosecutor June Ngian explained as per ST report.
“They then confirmed that (the man’s daughter) was not the princess of Selangor.” A police report was subsequently filed.
The father was caught attempting to pull the same stunt the next day at the concert venue, prompting staff to alert law enforcement, leading to his arrest.
The prosecutor requested a fine of S$5,000 for the man, arguing that he had gained from being allowed entry to the venue without a ticket. However, she acknowledged that he did not have “a nefarious reason” and that no harm was caused.
The man, who did not have legal representation, pleaded for a lower fine, expressing that his primary concern was his daughter’s safety and that he genuinely regretted his actions.
For the offense of cheating by impersonation, he could have faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine, or both.
Similarly, in March, Chinese national Li Xiaowei received a six-week prison sentence for unlawfully sneaking three individuals into Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour.
