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The Police have arrested a 43-year-old man for his involvement in a case of cheating.

On 27 September 2026, the Police received a report involving a 69-year-old man who had made payments to a 43-year-old man, on the pretext of recovering scam losses.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim had confided in the man, a friend of the victim, about losses he had suffered in a cryptocurrency scam. Over a period of 15 months, the man is believed to have requested payments from the victim for purported legal fees, witness protection fees and other administrative fees. He was also believed to have sought further payments on the pretext that the matter could be heard in overseas courts. It was established that the victim had made multiple transfers amounting to at least $186,000 to the man.

Through ground enquiries and follow-up investigations, officers from Clementi Police Division established the identity of the 43-year-old man and arrested him on 21 October 2026.

The man will be charged in court on 23 October 2026 with the offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.

The Police would like to remind members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with persons who claim to be able to recover monies lost to scams or other fraudulent schemes in exchange for fees or payments. Members of the public should be wary of and verify requests for upfront payments, especially when these are purportedly required for legal, administrative or processing purposes. If you suspect that you have fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately to report, block any fraudulent transactions, and lodge a Police report.