• Lin Fengchun found an online advertisement that said he would be paid for signing a tenancy agreement on someone else’s behalf
• He lied to a property agent that he was working at Changi Airport and needed the place for himself
• The unlawful deed was exposed when police raided the apartment and nabbed a woman for providing sexual services

SINGAPORE — Lin Fengchun was in need of money when he came across an online advertisement saying that he could get paid by signing a tenancy agreement on someone else’s behalf.

The Singaporean accepted the offer and eventually signed the lease to a condominium apartment in Changi. The unit was later used by a woman who was arrested by the police for providing sexual services there.

For his part in the ruse, Lin, 26, was jailed four weeks and fined S$400 on Monday (May 10), after he pleaded guilty to one charge of cheating by deceiving the 44-year-old landlord, Ms Neo Bee Leng, into believing that he would be renting the unit for himself.

Two other similar charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

THE CASE

The court heard that Lin’s deception started sometime in October 2019. 

After he responded to the advertisement, Lin was contacted by a man who was known as just “Da Ge”. The authorities have not yet managed to establish Da Ge’s real identity.

Da Ge told Lin through social messaging application WeChat that he was looking to rent a unit, but he was unable to do so because he was holding only a work permit.

Lin agreed to rent various units on Da Ge’s behalf in exchange for money.

Da Ge then arranged for Lin to meet Ms Neo’s 46-year-old property agent, Mr Cheng Tan Chow, at the Changi Road apartment on Oct 20, 2019. 

While viewing the property, Lin told Mr Cheng that he was interested in renting it and lied that he did shift work as a ground crew at Changi Airport. 

He also claimed that he had a flight stewardess girlfriend who would be staying over occasionally.

Mr Cheng conveyed this information to his client, who then agreed to lease the apartment to Lin. 

Lin was then instructed by Da Ge to return to the unit later in the day to sign a tenancy agreement that stated that Lin would be renting the unit for a period of one year from Nov 5, 2019 onwards at a rate of S$2,000 a month.

Once the agreement was signed, Da Ge transferred RMB2,000 (about S$410) to Lin through WeChat as payment.

Court documents stated that Lin left the tenancy agreement, along with the keys to the unit, inside the unlocked apartment. He neither returned nor resided within the unit.  

Lin’s role in the ruse was eventually brought to light on April 14 last year after police officers arrested a 35-year-old Chinese national, Chan Juan, while conducting a raid on the unit.

It was not mentioned whether Chan has been prosecuted yet. Court documents stated that she was arrested for providing sexual services in the unit. 

For cheating, Lin could have been punished with up to three years’ jail or a fine, or both.