Malaysian man gets eight months’ jail for helping syndicate access Singapore bank accounts in S$4m case

Malaysian authorities arrested Tan Kian Hoa on July 20 and handed him over to Singapore police. — Singapore Police Force pic via AsiaOne 

First Published: Wednesday, 28 Oct 2026 11:35 AM MYT

SINGAPORE, Oct 28 — A Malaysian man was sentenced to eight months' jail on Tuesday (October 27) for illegally accessing Singapore bank accounts while working for a transnational syndicate.

Nearly S$4 million (RM12.7 million) flowed through the 17 bank accounts, including over S$21,000 linked to reported scam cases here, CNA reported.

Tan Kian Hoa, 28, pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal conspiracy to commit unauthorised computer access under the Computer Misuse Act.

According to CNA, he had found a job on Facebook in September 2025, and was told through Telegram that he would be paid RM3,500 every month.

He then reported for work at an online gambling syndicate located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru.

Besides gambling funds, the syndicate also moved scam funds.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) received scam reports relating to 17 Maribank or GXS bank accounts under the syndicate's control, involving losses ranging from S$150 to S$2,968.

SPF said in July that it had conducted a two-month-long operation targeting transnational scams, alongside nine foreign law enforcement agencies.

Acting on information provided by MariBank, the police disrupted the syndicate in March.

Malaysian authorities arrested Tan on July 20, and handed him over to Singapore police on the following day.

If found guilty of conspiracy to commit unauthorised access to computer material, he could face a jail term of up to two years, fined up to S$5,000, or both. — AsiaOne