Byron Yeaw Li Xun, 26, manipulated victims into lending him money for supposed transport and living expenses.
Byron Yeaw Li Xun defrauded strangers out of approximately S$28,000 by soliciting loans from them in front of MRT stations. Many of his victims were students whom he convinced to assist him with what he claimed were urgent transport and living expenses.
Over nearly four years, Yeaw, now 26, duped 78 individuals by fabricating stories about needing money to rush to a destination. In one instance, he persuaded a full-time national serviceman (NSF), who had only S$2,100 in his bank account, to lend him S$2,000. This occurred at Yee Tee MRT station in February this year, where Yeaw claimed he had just 50 cents left and that his salary was delayed, necessitating immediate cash to survive the month. The NSF grew suspicious when Yeaw requested the remaining S$100.
According to reports, Yeaw’s deception began in 2019 while he was employed at Singtel. He would approach strangers at MRT stations, stating that he needed to travel far but lacked the fare for a taxi or private-hire vehicle. To lend credibility to his pleas, he would show his identification documents. However, when victims offered to book the ride for him, he would decline, insisting he needed to book it himself and would reimburse them later from his employer.
After successfully obtaining money, Yeaw would use it for personal expenses. When victims threatened to file police reports, he would return the money. Ultimately, he was arrested and charged in court in March 2020. After his release, Yeaw returned to soliciting larger sums for his gambling habits and was re-arrested a year later. Following his bail release on August 30, 2021, he continued this practice until his remand in March 2022.
On September 23, Yeaw was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading guilty to five counts of cheating. An additional 18 charges were considered during his sentencing. He has since made full restitution to all victims. The prosecution noted his “well-honed modus operandi,” which targeted young women and students, and sought a sentence of 12 to 18 months. Yeaw faced the possibility of up to 10 years in prison and fines for each cheating offence.
