Man jailed for pretending to supply gloves and face masks during COVID-19 pandemic, cheating 11 victims of S$3.79m
A man was sentenced to jail for cheating 11 victims of S$3.79 million by pretending to sell surgical gloves, surgical face masks, and hand sanitizer throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He lied to his clients that he was an authorized distributor of 3M surgical face masks an…
Intelligence analysis by Llama
A man was sentenced to eight years and nine months' jail for cheating 11 victims of S$3.79 million by pretending to sell surgical gloves, surgical face masks, and hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic. He lied to his clients and stocked his offices with medical supplies to build trust.
A man pretended to sell face masks and gloves during the COVID-19 pandemic. He lied to his clients and took their money. He was caught and sentenced to jail.
Analysis
COVID-19 Pandemic Creates Opportunity for Scammers
The COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm for scammers to take advantage of people's fears and desperation. Gerald Chan Tzen-Chou, a 48-year-old man, sensed an opportunity in the global pandemic and started offering various medical supplies for sale through a company incorporated by his then lover. He lied to his clients that he was an authorized distributor of 3M surgical face masks and stocked his offices with medical supplies to build trust.
Building Trust with Fake Medical Supplies
Chan would fulfill small-quantity orders placed by his victims to show that he could fulfill subsequent larger orders. He also told one of his victims that global demand for surgical face masks was very high and convinced her to invest in an Indonesian factory producing them with him. But there was no such factory or investment. Chan spent the payments on his personal expenses, the upkeep of his three offices, and gifts for other people.
Exploiting the Pandemic
Chan exploited the COVID-19 pandemic and took efforts to 'clothe his scams with a guise of legitimacy.' He was first arrested on April 2, 2020, but continued to cheat other victims and was arrested again on December 20, 2020. The prosecution argued that Chan's victims still suffered outstanding losses of more than S$3.2 million, and he has made restitution worth S$585,500 to three of his victims.
Sentence and Restitution
District Judge Paul Quan noted that the dominant harm factor would be the losses caused to Chan's victims. Committing most of his offenses while on bail was also an aggravating factor. The prosecution confirmed that it would not be seeking compensation orders for Chan's victims after his lawyer confirmed that he would not have the financial means to fulfill them. Chan was sentenced to eight years and nine months' jail, backdated to when he was remanded in December 2020.
Key points
- A man was sentenced to jail for cheating 11 victims of S$3.79 million by pretending to sell surgical gloves, surgical face masks, and hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- He lied to his clients that he was an authorized distributor of 3M surgical face masks and stocked his offices with medical supplies to build trust.
- He was first arrested on April 2, 2020, but continued to cheat other victims and was arrested again on December 20, 2020.
- He has made restitution worth S$585,500 to three of his victims.
- He was sentenced to eight years and nine months' jail, backdated to when he was remanded in December 2020.
The sentencing of Gerald Chan Tzen-Chou serves as a warning to scammers that they will be caught and punished. It also highlights the importance of verifying the authenticity of businesses and individuals, especially during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm for scammers to take advantage of people's fears and desperation. The fact that Chan was able to cheat 11 victims of S$3.79 million highlights the need for increased vigilance and caution when dealing with businesses and individuals during times of crisis.
