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SINGAPORE – Three men worked together to steal $ 365,000 from a man after tricking him into thinking they had bitcoins to sell.
According to court documents, Jaromel Gee Ming Li, 29, and Mohd Abdul Rahman Mohamad, 39, hatched the plan in April 2018.
Prosecutors said Abdul Rahman later attacked Syed Mokhtar Syed Yusope, who was tasked with robbing, intimidating and assaulting the Malaysian victim.
Mokhtar, a 39-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty in district court on Wednesday (September 9) to one count of robbery.
The cases involving the other two Singaporeans are still pending.
Deputy Prosecutors Chin Jincheng, Chong Yong, and Audrey Choo testified in court documents that Gee was involved in bitcoin brokerage at the time.
Presenting himself as a seller, he would organize transactions between parties who wanted to buy and sell bitcoins.
Gee also hired Abdul Rahman to help him with transactions, the court heard.
Prosecutors said that in April 2018, the couple planned to rob prospective buyers without transferring or selling bitcoin to them.
On April 8, 2018, Malaysian Pang Joon Hau came to a branch of Hotel 81 on Middle Road because he wanted to buy bitcoins from sellers in Singapore and had cash totaling $ 365,000 in his possession.
It was not indicated in the court documents whether he had brought the cash from Malaysia.
Prosecutors said Gee later learned of Mr. Pang’s intent through a contact and alerted Abdul Rahman, telling him to bring in an additional person to commit the robbery.
The DPPs added: “Abdul Rahman contacted Mokhtar and told him the plan … Mokhtar’s role was to accompany Abdul Rahman to commit a robbery … and take them both in Mokhtar’s car after the robbery.
“Mokhtar agreed to meet Abdul Rahman at Hotel 81 to carry out the plan.”
The court heard that Abdul Rahman and Mokhtar went to the hotel around 11 pm.
Prosecutors said the couple and a bitcoin broker, Mr. Lee Chee Kwok, went to Mr. Pang’s room and Mokhtar asked the Malaysian where the money was.
The DPPs added: “Pang showed the money to Mokhtar, and Mokhtar proceeded to hit Pang once on the left cheek. Lee tried to intervene, but Mokhtar hit him.”
Abdul Rahman then grabbed a backpack containing the $ 365,000 before leaving the room with Mokhtar, the court heard.
The DPPs said Mokhtar received $ 10,000 as a reward and deposited $ 5,000 into his bank account.
In an earlier statement, police said they received a report on the case around 11:40 p.m. on April 8, 2018.
Mokhtar was arrested at the Woodlands checkpoint the next day and officers confiscated a bag containing $ 5,000.
Court documents did not indicate whether authorities were able to recover the trio’s remaining money.
Mokhtar is now out on $ 30,000 bail and will be sentenced on Friday.
Criminals convicted of committing a robbery between 7 pm and 7 am can be imprisoned for up to 14 years and receive at least 12 strokes of the baton.
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