Latest news with #Corruption
AsiaOne
10 hours ago
- AsiaOne
3 men charged for alleged involvement in Pokemon card scams; believed to have cheated victims out of $57k, Singapore News
Three men aged between 21 and 28 will be charged in court on Saturday (June 28) for their suspected involvement in money laundering and unauthorised access to computer material, in a case that involved the selling of Pokemon trading cards. In a press release on Saturday (June 28), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said: "Between May and June 2025, the police received several reports from victims who were cheated by an online seller who was selling Pokemon trading cards on Carousell. After the victims made payment via bank transfers, they did not receive the said trading cards. "When questioned, the seller claimed he was in a business venture with another supplier who did not honour the transactions upon receiving payments." Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department conducted follow-up investigations and discovered the identities of the supplier and two accomplices, and arrested them on June 26 and 27, SPF said. The police believe the men have been involved in more than 50 similar scams, cheating victims out of at least $57,000. One man, 26, will be charged under Section 55A(1)(a)(i) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 "with the offence of assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct". It is punishable by a prison term of up to three years and/or a fine not exceeding $50,000. The two others, aged 21 and 28, will be charged with "accessing without authority bank accounts belonging to separate individual to withdraw payments" under Section 3(1) of the Computer Misuse Act 1993. They can be imprisoned for up to two years and/or pay a fine of up to $5,000. Between January and February 2025, at least 50 people had fallen victim to Pokemon card scams and had been cheated out of over $163,000. Scammers would engage potential victims on Facebook or Carousell, before convincing them to move their conversations to WhatsApp or Telegram, SPF said on Feb 6. The victims would then make payments via PayNow or bank transfers, and only realise they were scammed after the cards would fail to arrive or the sellers would cease communications with them. In their recent statement, the SPF advised the public to only communicate with sellers within the apps and to conduct transactions in person so they can inspect products before making payment. "Be wary of e-commerce scam red flags such as large discounts for faster transactions. Do not transfer money to anyone you do not know. Never disclose your personal information, internet banking or One-Time passwords to anyone," the SPF said. They also encourage members of the public to download the ScamShield app on their phones to block and filter SMSes, and set up security features on payment methods. The public can also use official channels including the ScamShield app, their 24-hour hotline at 1799 and their website at to check for signs of scams, or discuss with a trusted person. SPF also recommends reporting suspicious listings or user profiles to Carousell or Facebook through their in-app reporting functions. If someone suspects that they have been scammed, they should call their banks to report and block fraudulent transactions as well as lodge a police report. [[nid:514707]] drimac@
News24
a day ago
- Politics
- News24
A 70-year reckoning: The Freedom Charter's unfinished business
EDITORIAL: A 70-year reckoning: The Freedom Charter's unfinished business The people demand that you should know 'people love sex'. The people demand that you should know 'God sees you'. The people demand that you should know 'I love you'. The people demand that you should know 'Apen was here 2023 14 October'. The people demand that you should know 'Goth J.K.M'. The people demand that you should know 'Cliche 4 Hope 4 Shaky 4 Khusi'. The people demand that you should know 'Tseke Trouble'. The people demand that you should know 'GBV'. The people demand that you should know 'Delete Corruption'. These 10 demands were collected at Walter Sisulu Square. Written on the walls of concrete and doorless frames, within a dilapidated and vandalised three-story, multi-purpose hall. This is but a sample of what the people demand. These demands overlook the square that cost R160 million to build. And, in four years, most of that has been squandered as you trudge through the rubble, glass, dirt and water to enjoy this National Heritage Site. Below the demands of the people in 2025, are the demands of the people in South Africa 70 years ago in 1955. They are engraved into slabs of metal. In Kliptown, South Africans of all races adopted the Freedom Charter – the spine that broke the apartheid camel's back: 'We, the People of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know: The People Shall Govern! All National Groups Shall Have Equal Rights! The People Shall Share in the Country's Wealth! The Land Shall Be Shared Among Those Who Work It! All Shall Be Equal Before the Law! All Shall Enjoy Equal Human Rights! There Shall Be Work and Security! The Doors of Learning and Culture Shall Be Opened! There Shall Be Houses, Security, and Comfort! There Shall Be Peace and Friendship! The charter of free people, 70 years later, looks very different. In this week's Friday Briefing, we take a poignant journey back to that momentous day seven decades ago, sharing the reflections of three individuals who were present at the historic event. At the time, they hadn't realised how profoundly significant it would become. Additionally, we delve into the debated preamble of the Freedom Charter, which declares, 'South Africa belongs to all who live in it,' along with analysis from UJ's Professor Mcebisi Ndletyana on what a new social contract for the country would look like. Finally, we turn our attention to Kliptown Square, the historic site where the Charter was signed. Today, it stands as a faint echo of its once profound legacy. We hope these contributions which you can read below provide you with a deeper understanding of the significance of that day and why its message continues to hold value even now. Robben Island Museum Archives/Supplied by The Albie Collection The search for freedom through the eyes of the Charterists Only a handful of living witnesses remain from the historic Congress of the People, where the Freedom Charter was signed 70 years ago. We spoke to three Charterists about the dreams sown in 1955 and what has become of them today. Read the rest of the article here. A template for the demands that people wanted to include in the Freedom Charter. From the book: 30 years of the Freedom Charter by Raymond Suttner and Jeremy Cronin. Belonging or betrayal? The controversial line of the Freedom Charter still resonates 70 years later Seventy years after the Freedom Charter was adopted, the statement 'South Africa belongs to all who live in it' is both a rallying cry and a source of fierce debate. Read the rest of the article here. Werner Beukes/Sapa 70 Years of the Freedom Charter: Renewing its vision for SA Mcebisi Ndletyana reflects on what challenges were in place when the Freedom Charter was adopted and what would be needed for a renewed social contract to have any prospects 70 years after the signing of the Charter. Read the rest of the contribution here. From hope to helplessness: How government has failed Kliptown's Charter square and its people Once hailed as a monument to freedom and progress, Kliptown's Charter Square has become a stark showcase of neglect and failed political commitments, writes Muhammad Hussain. Read the rest of the article here.
LBCI
2 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Trump calls for Israeli PM's trial to be canceled
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his corruption trial, saying the U.S. would save him like it did his country. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. "Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel)," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday. Reuters
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Four, including 16-year-old, charged for using Sheng Siong teller machines for money laundering, Singapore News
Four men, aged 16 to 23, were charged last Saturday (June 21) for using Sheng Siong teller machines to allegedly launder money. Of the four, three were charged under Section 411 of the Penal Code, while one was charged with an offence under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes Act. The scheme came to light when Sheng Siong customer and operations director Lin Zikai noticed multiple suspicious transactions made at the same time by the same account at different $TMs across Singapore on June 18. The service was suspended the next day and restored on June 23. Known as simple teller machines ($TM), the ones at Sheng Siong differ from other ATMs as they generate a PayNow QR code which can be scanned to authorise dispensing of cash. A maximum of $1,000 can be withdrawn in one transaction, with the number of transactions tied to the PayNow daily limit. While the default withdrawal limit for PayNow is $1,000, users can change it up to $200,000. Muhammad Izz Iryan Bin Mod Ali responded to a "fast cash job" via Telegram, where he was told to withdraw money from a Sheng Siong $TM at Block 872C Tampines Street 86 on June 19, using the $TM's QR code. Iryan, 23, is alleged to have snapped a photograph of the QR code generated by the machine's PayNow option, and uploaded it back to the Telegram group. Shortly after, money was dispensed from the same machine, which Iryan was purportedly supposed to pass to another person. It is believed criminals in the Telegram group were using compromised bank accounts to make the PayNow payments remotely using photos of QR codes. The Sheng Siong headquarters alerted the store manager of suspicious transactions, who then detained Iryan until police arrived and arrested him. Iryan was in possession of $20,300 which was suspected of being obtained from criminal conduct. Separately, Muhammad Noraidilsahiq Bin Muhammad Norasif, 20, allegedly withdrew a sum of $8,000 from the $TM at Block 455 Sengkang West Avenue before being arrested. Both Iryan and Noraidilsahiq were brought by police back to their respective scenes in Tampines and Sengkang on Thursday (June 26), where they retraced their steps while officers interrogated them. A 16-year-old was also charged for receiving cash amounting to $19,500 from the $TM at the Sheng Siong outlet in Serangoon North Avenue 5 between June 18 and June 19, while Muhammad Izz Irshad Bin Mod Ali, 18, was charged for receiving $4,000 between June 9 and June 13. When Iryan, Noraidilsahiq and the 16-year-old made withdrawals from their respective $TMs on June 19 during the same time, they were subsequently detained by store managers at respective Sheng Siong outlets across the island, Lin explained. "For the $TM machine, we partnered with (UOB and OCBC) to recycle cash that we receive from our stores to provide convenience for our residents nearby to withdraw cash," Lin said. "Moving forward... we have since upgraded the system and implemented a maximum of five withdrawals in one day per user." According to the Penal Code, receiving or retaining stolen property can result in jail for up to five years or a fine, or both. [[nid:719251]] khooyihang@
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Sheng Siong suspended PayNow withdrawals from teller machines over money laundering concerns
The scheme was discovered after Sheng Siong noticed large cash withdrawals being made simultaneously from multiple $TMs across Singapore by the same PayNow account. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS SINGAPORE - A new money laundering scheme caused Sheng Siong to temporarily suspend PayNow cash withdrawals from its Simple Teller Machines ($TMs) recently . The withdrawal service allows users to scan a PayNow QR code at the machines to withdraw cash of up to $1,000 per transaction. But since early June, criminals appear to have been abusing the service to launder illicit funds, causing the supermarket chain to temporarily suspend the service from June 19. It was only restored on June 23. The scheme was discovered after Sheng Siong noticed large cash withdrawals being made simultaneously from multiple $TMs across Singapore by the same PayNow account on June 18. When the same account was used to withdraw more cash on June 19, Sheng Siong staff detained the persons who had taken the cash and called the police. Four males, aged 16 to 23, were charged on June 21 in relation to the scheme. They are believed to have responded to 'fast cash job' advertisements on Telegram. The supposed job required them to go to the $TMs and use it to generate PayNow QR codes, which they took photos of and sent back to the Telegram group. Shortly after, the machine would dispense the cash, which they were to take and hand over to another person. It is believed criminals in the Telegram group were using compromised bank accounts to make the PayNow payments remotely via the photos of the QR codes. On June 26, the police took two of the accused persons back to $TMs in Sengkang and Tampines. Muhammad Noraidilsahiq Muhammad Norasif, 20, allegedly withdrew $8,000 from the machine on June 19 at the Sheng Siong outlet at Sengkang West Avenue, which he was taken back to for investigations. Muhammad Noraidilsahiq Muhammad Norasif allegedly withdrew $8,000 from the machine on June 19 at the Sheng Siong outlet at Sengkang West Avenue. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS He faces one charge under the Penal Code for receiving the stolen property. Muhammad Izz Iryan Mod Ali, 23, was allegedly found with $20,300 that were benefits of criminal conduct. He was taken to the $TM at the Sheng Siong outlet at Tampines Street 86 and faces one charge under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act. Muhammad Izz Iryan Mod Ali was allegedly found with $20,300 that were benefits of criminal conduct. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS His 18-year-old brother, Muhammad Izz Irshad Mod Ali, is also one of the accused persons. He allegedly took $4,000 of cash from the $TM at the Sheng Siong outlet at Jurong West Street 42 between June 9 and June 13. He faces one charge under the Penal Code for receiving the stolen property. The fourth person charged is a 16-year-old who allegedly took $19,500 from the $TM at the Sheng Siong outlet at Serangoon North Avenue 5 on June 18 and 19. He also faces one charge under the Penal Code for receiving the stolen property. All four have been remanded and their cases are expected to be heard again on June 27. Sheng Siong's customer and operations director, Mr Lin Zikai, told the media on June 26 that Sheng Siong had noticed the abnormal withdrawals on June 18 and suspended the service on June 19. The service was only restored on June 23 after it implemented an additional safeguard limiting the maximum number of transactions per PayNow account to five. There are more than 60 $TMs islandwide at Sheng Siong outlets. The withdrawal service allows users to scan a PayNow QR code at the machines to withdraw cash of up to $1,000 per transaction. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS Mr Lin said before this, users could make cash withdrawals of up to $1,000 per transaction, but the number of transactions was limited only by the PayNow account's limit. While the default daily limit for PayNow transactions is $1,000, users were able to change it to a maximum of $200,000. This meant they could make up to 200 transactions of $1,000 each daily . With the new safeguard, the maximum withdrawal from a single PayNow account is now capped at $5,000. Mr Lin said: 'This case was actually detected by our Sheng Siong HQ office. They realised there were multiple transactions from the same (PayNow) user at different outlets at the same time. 'That's when we contacted the bank and made a police report.' Those convicted of receiving stolen property can be jailed for up to five years and fined. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
