Singaporean man who posed as women on dating sites gets 2 years’ jail and fined S$15K for luring men into rigged mahjong games

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man who used fake female dating profiles to lure men into rigged mahjong games has been sentenced to two years’ jail and fined S$15,000.

Marcus Ang Yi Sheng, 27, impersonated women on dating platforms, including Tinder and OkCupid. He then invited men who contacted him to meet for mahjong sessions, where his accomplices were waiting to ensure they lost.

Ang pleaded guilty to eight charges, including conspiracy to cheat, criminal intimidation and gambling-related offences. Another 33 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing. The scheme involved at least 28 victims across 28 games in 2024. Ang estimated that the group collected about S$100,000 from their activities, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (Nov 5).

Fake dating profiles led men into rigged mahjong games

Ang devised the scheme around April 2024. He created profiles using fictional women's identities and provided Telegram usernames for interested men to make contact.

After arranging a game, he would send a female accomplice to meet the victim and pretend to be the woman behind the dating profile. The sessions took place at several locations, including a Housing Board flat and SAFRA Toa Payoh.

Each table had four players: one unsuspecting victim and three accomplices. They were given different roles, including pretending to be friends, siblings or strangers.

One accomplice would watch the victim's playing style and pass information to the others. The remaining players would then work together to stop the victim from winning, forming winning hands, or discarding tiles that helped their partners. Ang claimed the arrangement allowed the group to win 99 per cent of their games.

Accomplices received commissions for every session

Ang coordinated the operation through a WhatsApp group named “Sales appointment updates”. He also trained his accomplices to carry out their assigned roles.

All winnings were collected by Ang, who then paid each accomplice between S$300 and S$500 per session. The scheme also involved attempts to pressure victims into paying large sums after losing.

On June 1, 2024, one victim was told to pay S$26,000 but refused to do so. Another victim faced the same demand and was threatened with a visit to his workplace.

Ang also threatened to report the second victim to the police for allegedly raping an accomplice. The victim subsequently lodged a police report.

Ang reoffended after being released on bail

Ang was arrested in June 2024 and released on bail. However, he committed further offences and was remanded. He was later offered bail again but reoffended a second time, resulting in another remand.

The prosecution sought between 25 and 27 months' jail and a S$15,000 fine. His lawyer, John Koh of Avalon Law, sought between 19 and 21 months' jail with the same fine.

Ang's accomplice, Olivia Chin Hui Zhen, 33, was sentenced to eight months' jail and fined S$3,000 last month. She was the first member of the group to plead guilty. The cases involving the remaining accomplices are pending.

The penalties for conspiracy to cheat can include up to 10 years' jail and a fine for each charge. Organising unlawful gambling carries a maximum penalty of seven years' jail and a S$500,000 fine.

Dating apps are meant to help people meet, while mahjong is meant to be a game of skill and chance. Turning both into a carefully planned trap shows how easily trust can be abused for money.

Never let a stranger's invitation override common sense, especially when money is involved.