The five actors from the 1996 Singapore film “Army Daze” reunited at Sheikh Haikel's chicken rice restaurant at Kampong Glam.

This occurred after Sheikh announced that he had stage four cancer and was battling it for over a year.

In an Instagram post by Edward Yong, he and former actors Ahamed Azad, Adrian Lim, and Kevin Mark Verghese met up with Sheikh at his restaurant, Hai Ge Ji.

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A post shared by Edward C. Yong (@infernoxv)

“it’s been 29 years. feels like a lifetime ago, but seeing the lot of you again, it almost feels like no time has passed. We haven’t been able to get together as frequently as we would have liked, but i am always grateful when we manage it,” the caption read.

Yong also acknowledged that Sheikh was battling “a monster” and wished for him to “stay strong and fighting as you always have”.

He also expressed gratitude towards Sheikh’s wife, Anna Belle Francis, “for the hospitality and for her unfailing support of Haikel”.

Army Daze

“Army Daze” is a 1996 comedy film which was based on the 1987 theatre play of the same name by Singaporean writer Michael Chiang.

The plot follows five recruits and their journey through national service.

The film reportedly grossed S$1.6 million at the box office at the time.

A man allegedly took a speaker from a Bukit Batok shop on Sep. 16.

He was caught on the stall's CCTV.

The incident apparently took place at 2pm that day, according to a TikTok video by @Top One Communication.

Allegedly took speaker

In the video, a man can be seen waiting at the shop with an orange plastic bag on the counter.

He then looked around before reaching forward and taking a speaker.

The man placed the speaker in the orange plastic bag and allegedly left the shop with it.

The video was also accompanied by the caption: "If you wanted it, you could have just said so — why did you have to steal it?"

Investigation

Responding to Mothership's queries, the Police confirm that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

Mothership has reached out to the shop for more information.

Accommodations at the 2026 Asian Games have come under scrutiny.

This year’s Asian Games, hosted in Nagoya, Japan, have an estimated 17,000 athletes and officials. This is more than the estimated 15,000 they had prepared for.

The Olympic Council of Asia had decided against building an athletes' village to control costs, saying that it would have become a white elephant after the games.

Arrangements include hotels, a cruise ship, and even temporary wooden containers, reported ESPN Singapore. 

Singapore athletes

About 4,000 athletes and coaches will be housed on the Costa Serena ship, which has 1,500 cabins, according to The Straits Times.

Amongst them are Singaporean athletes, including those from the women's water polo team and wushu.

The Singapore water polo team's Juni Ong told Mothership that the accommodation onboard the ship was "small but comfortable".

"We were lucky to receive a room with a balcony which is great since we play water polo and always need to dry things like our suits, robes and caps," she said.

Karate athlete Isaiah Tang told Mothership that Team Singapore sourced hotels for his team after organisers said there were insufficient accommodations for them.

Japanese organisers reportedly told late additions to the games to find their own accommodation, reasoning that the host city agreement had only specified a delegation of 15,000 people.

Tang posted on his socials on Sep. 19 saying that his hotel was quite "cosy" and expressed gratitude to Team Singapore.

He added that he has heard of athletes from other countries who were unable to find accommodations and were "stranded".

Singaporean triathletes Tey Yi Jun and Luke Chua also posted about their unique accommodation furnishing.

Their bed frames and bike stands were interestingly made out of cardboard. These were also seen at the athletes’ villages during the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.

Subpar accommodations amid bad weather

Meanwhile, around 2,000 guests were accommodated in wooden container huts used for disaster evacuation facilities, BBC reported.

Some participants have criticised the accommodations, with the South Korean basketball association calling it the "worst it has ever been".

The situation was exacerbated as record rainfall hit Nagoya last week, prompting a substantial number of athletes to be briefly evacuated from the containers.

Roof leaks at the accommodation and sports venues were later reported.

Improvements

Organisers of the Asian Games have acknowledged the complaints by athletes and organisations.

Reuters cited the organisation manager as saying that concrete steps have and will continue to be taken to improve living conditions.

Meanwhile, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry reportedly called the container-style accommodations “beautiful”.

According to The Japan Times, she also admitted they were “a little tighter” than similar accommodation at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics earlier this year but said she did not understand the negativity around the accommodation.

A cello player received complaints from her neighbours living downstairs for practising the instrument almost every day.

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, four tenants living below the player claimed that it sounded like someone was sawing wood.

They also alleged that it was impossible to get proper rest due to the sound, and apparently had to seek refuge outside the house at times.

In response, the player who reportedly only practises in the afternoon said the instrument was her livelihood, claiming the tenants were making it a big deal.

Jurong tenants

The tenants living at Jurong West consist of a 31-year-old engineer, Wu (transliterated), as well as university students, 24-year-old Li (transliterated), 22-year-old Wang (transliterated), and 23-year-old Ruan (transliterated).

They alleged that their upstairs neighbour had recently been playing the cello at home almost every day.

Shin Min reported that they claim the player usually starts practising around 1pm and continues until 5pm at times.

After Wu previously communicated the concerns with the cellist, she reportedly agreed to try to lower the volume.

The situation then improved for some time, but Wu alleged that the practice time became longer again.

On Sep. 19, the playing apparently lasted for about three hours, Shin Min reported.

'Sawing wood'

Li had previously started staying in the unit in July 2025, and claimed that on Aug. 9, the music upstairs lasted from the afternoon till evening.

Noting that she has classes in the evening, she pointed out that she needs to rest in the day.

"When the piano music comes, even wearing headphones can't block it out, and sometimes I can't even talk to people with my microphone on," said Li, who takes online classes at home sometimes.

The four tenants described the sound to be coming from all directions like a "stereo sound".

They told Shin Min that the music sounded like "sawing wood", and the continuous high-frequency sound was unbearable.

One tenant, Ruan, would seek temporary refuge in her school library at times as she did not dare to stay at home starting from the afternoon.

Livelihood

The woman, 25-year-old Lin (transliterated), told Shin Min that playing the cello is part of her livelihood since she is a student at an arts school and a music teacher.

According to Lin, she usually starts practising around 1pm or 2pm each day, with each session apparently lasting a maximum of two hours.

"Music is my livelihood, and I need to practise," she said.

In response to complaints that the music was disturbing, she claimed they were "making a mountain out of a molehill".

Lin said she did not understand why she would be accused of disturbing the tenants' rest when she practised in the afternoon.

She claimed that she always keeps the doors and windows of her home closed when practising her instrument, and had reportedly lived here for over ten years without getting complaints from her neighbours.

Mediation

Wu told Shin Min that after the landlord sought help on their behalf, the Community Mediation Centre invited both parties to a meeting.

He further claimed that Lin did not attend the meeting.

She argued that mediation was not necessary as she did nothing wrong.

Noting that the tenants below her kept changing, she questioned whether she would have to communicate all over again every time a new batch of tenants moved in.

Bound by lease

Shin Min reported that the tenants who complained are unable to move out due to being bound by a tenancy agreement.

As such, the students hope Lin can be understanding and not play for too long or lay mats on the floor for soundproofing.

Lin said she was exhausted over the situation, referring to the regular complaints and even the police being called.

She questioned if it was wrong to play an instrument in her own home and apparently said the tenants could go to the library if they needed to study.

A Singaporean man moved to Thailand and has since stayed for more than a decade.

In an Instagram video posted on Sep. 18, the man, Alden Lee, explained why.

He began by saying, "Would I ever go back to live in Singapore after living in Thailand for more than 10 years? Well, that answer is absolutely no."

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A post shared by Alden lee (@ahdhlee_)

Who is he?

Speaking to Mothership, Lee introduced himself as a 40-year-old who moved to Thailand when he was 26.

According to Lee, his first encounter with Thailand was during his university days, when he went to study in a college in the Thai countryside.

There, he fell in love with the country, noting the "peace, the friendly culture, [and] the slow pace of life outside of a city."

After graduating, he just spent one year or so back in Singapore before deciding to return to Thailand in 2012.

With the help of his parents and friends, he managed to start a small business.

14 years on, Lee is still in Thailand working as a business development consultant, and raising his family there.

He now runs an Instagram account sharing about life in Thailand as a foreigner under the handle @ahdhlee_.

What's great about Thailand?

In the video, Lee extolled the day-to-day benefits of living in Thailand, such as the "great value for money", "friendly Thai culture", and the variety of places to explore in the country.

He pushed back against those who suggested that he would have better economic opportunities in Singapore for both himself and his children.

In fact, he thinks that his kids are "living a really good life".

He pointed out that his children are living in a gated community, attending international schools, and have time to play outdoors every day instead of being "stuck to screens".

He also noted how they have friends in the neighbourhood and a large garden.

Lee thinks that all the above would not be true if he and his children were in Singapore.

While he admitted that the minimum wage is low and starting salaries come up to under S$1,000 in Thailand, he said that these numbers are not "a measure of your career path or opportunities".

He further claimed that there are "so many ways to earn money [in Thailand]".

He ended the video by emphasising that he did not move to Thailand for the money, but for the life and comfort that it afforded him, musing that he would make the same choice after another 10 years.

Advice for prospective movers

When asked if he had any advice for those that wanted to move to Thailand, he stated that moving there is a "lifestyle choice" that entails a slower pace and requires more travelling around than in Singapore.

He also conceded that it would be difficult at first, having to grapple with the language and cultural differences.

However, he reiterated to Mothership that Thai people are friendly and helpful, and that one would be able to "pick [Thai] up easily and navigate [one's] way around."

"My advice is not to commit outright, but to just start with a month or two first. Get to know people and the environment. See if you really like it, because it will be totally different from the tourist view that you see when you are on holiday."

He further stressed that Thailand is more than the well-visited tourist destination of Bangkok, and that there are other cities and the countryside to explore and consider staying in.

On Sep. 21, a coroner's inquiry into the family that died in the Hougang house fire revealed that the family, who were hoarders, had refused help from the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

According to court documents seen by Mothership, the fire that broke out on Jan. 9, 2025, in their third-floor unit at Block 971 Hougang Street 91 started in a master bedroom wall socket outlet.

Lee Choon Geak, 62, died of smoke inhalation; his 56-year-old wife, Seow Siew Choo's cause of death was unascertained.

Their daughter, Grace Lee Jia Wei, 18, died of asphyxia, a condition where the body is unable to receive sufficient oxygen.

Around 20 calls were made to relevant authorities by residents at around 12:40pm as the flat was engulfed in smoke, reported The Straits Times (ST).

The hearing has been adjourned by State Coroner Adam Nakhoda to Oct. 12, where a forensic pathologist will further detail the cause of death for mother and daughter.

Refused to speak to HDB officers

Singapore Police Force (SPF) Inspector Melvin Lim testified that HDB learnt of the family's hoarding issues on Feb. 7, 2024.

A day later, HDB officers attempted to speak with the family but were denied entry.

HDB officers made two more visits—once in September 2024, which ended in rejection, and another time in December 2024, but no one was home, reported ST.

Firefighters faced difficulty opening main door

When police officers reached the scene of the fire, they banged on the door, but no one responded.

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Lieutenant-Colonel Muhammad Faizal Mazlan noted that firefighters faced significant difficulty opening the main door of the unit due to the large accumulation of items.

Firefighters forced their way in and found the father unresponsive and seated near the door of one of the bedrooms with burn injuries, dead from smoke inhalation, ST added.

The mother was found lying on a bed in that bedroom, upon which firefighters carried her out.

The daughter was later found buried under debris in the same bedroom.

Faizal said the intense heat from the fire destroyed the master bedroom door, with only the hinges left behind.

According to ST, the father's body was the first to be identified on Jan. 10, followed by his daughter a day later.

His wife's body was only identified more than two weeks after the fire.

Wife's body had extensive burns but no soot in airways or stomach

Lim said that while the wife's body had extensive burns, no soot was found in her airways or stomach.

This meant that Seow's death could have occurred before the fire, reported ST.

No foul play was suspected; the family had no recorded disputes with neighbours, and there was no evidence that any of the three harboured suicidal ideation, Lim noted.

Although the daughter had been seeing an Institute of Mental Health doctor from 2023 to 2024, the court was told the daughter was not identified as having a high risk of suicide, reported ST.

Lim added that the daughter's low moods and stress were due to her family and schoolwork.

Faizal noted that SCDF interviewed family members and found that the daughter aspired to start a business and was studying business at ITE College Central.

Loose terminal connections behind wall socket

Investigations showed loose terminal connections behind the wall socket, leading to internal overheating and eventually the fire.

During the hearing, one of Seow's sisters asked if the wall socket had any appliances connected to it at the time.

Faizal said an extension socket was plugged in, likely along with a laptop and two fans.

He noted that the remains of these items were mainly found on the floor, as most carpentry was destroyed.

Seow's sister asked if the family could have noticed these loose terminal connections behind the wall socket, and Faizal listed discolouration, crackling sounds and a burning smell.

But Faizal emphasised that the "large number of items in the bedroom and unit" were what contributed greatly to the fire.

A 21-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 14 years’ jail and 15 strokes of the cane for sexually assaulting several girls aged between 13 and 16.

He committed the offences when he was between 15 and 17 years old.

He faced charges consisting of outrage of modesty, sexual assault involving penetration, statutory rape, rioting, voluntarily causing hurt with a deadly weapon, and aggravated outrage of modesty.

He pleaded guilty to nine charges and was sentenced on Sep. 21, 2026.

A total of 29 other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The man cannot be identified as a gag order was imposed to protect the victims.

In court documents seen by Mothership, between November 2020 and December 2022, the accused actively sought girls through social media, mutual friends, or school.

First girl

He befriended the first victim via Instagram.

She was 15, and he was 16 at the time.

On May 14, 2021, the victim was invited to the accused's home, and she agreed as she had feelings for her.

The accused reportedly led her to believe he reciprocated those feelings.

The pair engaged in sexual intercourse over the next two days.

On May 30, 2021, the pair engaged in more sex acts even though the victim was menstruating.

She refused to engage in sexual intercourse and the accused behaved aggressively during the sexual encounters and caused her to bleed on several occasions.

The pair also engaged in sexual intercourse on two separate occasions on Jun. 16, 2021 and Jun. 22, 2021.

The accused also slapped the girl on multiple occasions without her consent.

The victim lodged a police report on Jul. 27, 2021.

Second girl

In July 2021, the accused knew another girl, who was 13 at the time.

He was 16.

The pair chatted online via Yubo.

On Jul. 20, 2021, they met up, and he took her to a staircase landing at a block.

The pair proceeded to engage in sexual intercourse.

The victim subsequently informed her friend about the incident.

On Jul. 20, 2021, a police report was lodged.

On Aug. 30, 2021, the accused was arrested.

He was subsequently released on bail.

Third girl

While out on bail, in April 2022, he knew another girl, who was 14 at the time, through mutual friends.

He was 17.

The pair chatted online via WhatsApp, and he invited her to his home on Aug. 12, 2022.

The victim agreed after the accused told her that two other friends were present.

When she arrived, he told both friends to leave his home and closed his bedroom door.

He then told the victim that he was going to punish her for being late.

He proceeded to pin her down on the bed and molested her.

He also grabbed her hand, forcing her to touch his genital area.

The accused also exposed himself and attempted to get her to perform sexual acts on him.

The victim resisted his attempts.

The accused became angry and eventually told her to leave.

Third girl's uncle

On Aug. 23, 2022, the girl told her uncle, who was 29 years old at the time, about the incident.

Her uncle got the accused's contact information and texted him to arrange a meeting.

The accused decided to get four friends involved to confront the victim’s uncle.

He was armed with a knuckleduster and a karambit knife.

When the accused and his friends arrived at the victim’s uncle’s flat, they found him sitting alone.

The accused confronted the victim’s uncle and pointed the karambit knife at him, threatening to blind him.

After the victim’s uncle explained that he wanted to speak with the accused about his niece, the accused stowed away the knife.

The accused proceeded to assault the victim’s uncle physically and punched him in the face and chest multiple times while armed with the knuckle duster.

When the victim’s uncle fell to the ground, the accused proceeded to punch him in the abdomen before his friends pulled him away.

The victim’s uncle sought treatment at a hospital.

He sustained face and elbow contusions.

Fourth girl

The accused befriended another girl, who was 13 years old at the time, via Instagram.

On Aug. 27, 2022, the pair met and went to Northpoint Shopping Centre to have breakfast.

He then asked her to “hang out” with him before leading her to a handicapped toilet.

He proceeded to assault the victim sexually.

He grabbed her face, kissed her on the lips without her consent, and molested her.

After this offence, his bail was revoked on Sep. 7, 2022.

He was remanded until he was released on Sep. 16, 2022.

Fifth girl

While on bail, he knew another girl, who was 14 at the time, sometime on Nov. 4, 2022, via TikTok.

On Nov. 7, 2022, his bail was revoked, and he was remanded until Dec. 19, 2022, when he was released on court bail.

Sometime in the morning of Dec. 20, 2022, the pair met at Jurong Point and he sexually assaulted her in the handicapped toilet at Boon Lay Bus Interchange after telling her that he wanted to vape.

He also pulled her hair and hit her head against the wall when she resisted his attempts.

When the victim was about to leave the toilet, the accused threatened to slash people if she left.

She left the toilet and hid inside the female toilet as the accused followed her.

After seeing that the accused was no longer around, she left the premises.

The victim lodged a police report on Dec. 22, 2022.

The accused was arrested on the same day and has been remanded ever since.

Assaulted boy

On Aug. 18, 2022, the accused was involved in a group of four people who beat up a boy, who was 14 at the time.

The group kicked and punched the victim until police arrived, and they fled the scene.

The victim was admitted to the hospital and was found to have sustained minor bruising and abrasions over his face and scalp.

Offences taken into consideration for sentencing

Two female victims and one of the victims subjected to sexual assault were threatened with having their intimate videos or photos distributed, or had their videos or photos distributed.

Those offences were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Recalcitrant

The prosecution sought 15 years’ jail to 16 years and two months’ jail and 15 strokes of the cane for the man.

They described him as a “recalcitrant sexual offender” who committed a “string of sexual offences” against multiple “young female victims”.

The prosecution said the victims suffered “actual physical and psychological harm”.

The prosecution also acknowledged the man’s “alleged psychiatric conditions” and the diagnosis of multiple disorders.

However, the prosecution argued that a medical report showed that “there is no substantial contributory link between his disorders and the offences.

"A sufficiently stiff deterrent sentence is thus necessary to reflect the seriousness of the offences and to meet the aims of retribution, and general and specific deterrence," the prosecution said.

F&B magnate Lim Bee Huat has sued a building contractor for allegedly causing extensive defects in his two adjoining bungalows during renovation.

The founder of Kopitiam Group, who is in his 70s, is bringing Tiandi ACMV Engineering to court for breach of contract.

According to Lianhe Zaobao (Zaobao), Lim has alleged that Tiandi failed to satisfactorily complete the project on the two bungalows along Whitley Road, leading to defects that he says have made it impossible for his family to move in. 

He is seeking compensation, with the precise amount to be decided by the court.

In response, Tiandi asserts that the renovation issues were actually caused by a separate contractor that Lim engaged.

This is the second time that Lim has initiated legal action regarding the Whitley Road bungalows.

According to Zaobao, Lim claimed that the construction of the two bungalows cost him S$9 million.

Construction

On Sep. 14 and 15, Lim told the High Court that the two residences were unsuitable for habitation.

According to Lim, he originally owned a bungalow at the present site, 111 Whitley Road. In 2012, he bought an adjacent plot of land, planning to build two connected houses with a combined area of 634.4 square meters.

According to The Straits Times (ST), Lim was introduced to the contractor, Pek Han Kok, by an employee, Per Poh Huat.

Pek was the owner of Tiandi, and Future Innovation & Construction.

According to Zaobao, Lim decided to hire Future Innovation in 2016, with the project being passed on to Tiandi the following year.

The contract that Lim and Tiandi inked amounted to S$3.5 million, with the project stipulated to be finished by Jun. 7, 2019.

Breakdown

However, Lim claims that the project ran into severe delays.

In Jan. 2019, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) inspected the two houses and found multiple instances of non-compliance with their guidelines, leading them to suspend issuance of the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP).

The TOP allows a tenant to move into a house before works are fully completed, or if they are still pending clearance from other authorities.

Shortly after, Lim was informed that he was permitted to move into one of the two houses.

As such, he moved in while the other house was still heavily unfinished.

Testifying in court, Lim stated that he held a housewarming party with more than 1,000 guests, who were simultaneously amazed by the size of the residence as well as confused by the unfinished state of the adjacent building.

In May 2021, Lim said that Tiandi had allegedly abandoned the project, purportedly leaving the two houses in a state of disrepair.

This included water pooling in corners, exposed electrical wiring on the exterior, half-finished floor tiling, and an incomplete walkway connecting the two houses.

Lim asked Tiandi to rectify the issues, but was rebuffed.

As such, he alleges that he had to buy a new residence elsewhere, moving there in October 2021.

111 Whitley Road was subsequently left abandoned.

Citing a breach of the contract, Lim is seeking damages from Tiandi for the cost of fixing the defects as well as the financial loss from being unable to move into the house.

Rebuttal

Zaobao reported that Tiandi has denied these claims, stating that they had in fact completed the project in accordance with the contract as well as relevant guidelines.

The defendant's lawyer stated that the issue had in fact resulted from Lim engaging a second contractor to continue renovating after Tiandi finished the works.

According to ST, Tiandi said it was not involved in the works that resulted in the "Frankenstein House".

Zaobao also reported them saying that Lim's motive was to increase the total floor area while evading additional property taxes.

Lim denied these accusations, saying, "I wouldn't do such a thing."

According to ST, Tian Di filed a counterclaim of S$1.14 million.

The trial is ongoing.

A 21-year-old Singaporean woman who was allegedly caught in Batam with about 40 etomidate vape cartridges hidden in her underwear has told police they were for her own use.

Police say they are still investigating where the drugs came from, and whether she has links to an international drug network.

Out of their packaging

Barelang police narcotics chief Arsyad Riyandi said the woman claimed she had brought the drugs to consume herself while in Batam, according to New Straits Times (NST).

Tribun Batam reported that she told police she had intended to use them to have fun on the island.

However, Arsyad noted that the cartridges had already been opened and were no longer in their original packaging.

He said: "Despite her claim, we are still investigating the origin of the drugs and the possibility of her links to an international drug network."

He added that foreigners caught with drugs in Indonesia face the same law as Indonesians.

Off the last ferry

The woman arrived at Harbour Bay International Ferry Terminal on the last ferry from Singapore on Sep. 3.

Customs officers were screening arriving passengers when they noticed her walking unusually, said Lucky Tamo, head of enforcement and investigation at Batam Customs.

According to NST, he said: "During a more detailed inspection, we found an item concealed in her crotch."

At a press conference on Sep. 17, he said the inspection scanner had picked up items she was not supposed to be carrying, per Tribun Batam.

According to reports, the cartridges were tested and found to contain etomidate.

Customs then handed her over to the Barelang police.

A 49-year-old man in Singapore reportedly lost about S$80,000 after befriending a “Singaporean woman” on Facebook and was convinced to invest in an “online store”.

The pair apparently communicated for about three years, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Befriend

Li (transliterated), an engineer who is single, reportedly befriended a female user named “Yuting” on Facebook.

Yuting claimed she was a Singaporean living overseas.

She also reportedly claimed that she owned a property in Sentosa Cove.

The pair moved from chatting on Facebook Messenger to WhatsApp and communicated “on and off” for about three years.

“During that time, we would exchange greetings and look out for each other every month,” Li said.

Chat

According to Li, not long after he and Yuting started chatting, she asked if he was interested in investing together by opening an “online store” to sell goods.

He could apparently earn a 15 per cent commission.

"She said it was a drop-shipping job. I would act as a middleman, placing orders with a 'supplier' on behalf of the 'customer,' and I needed to pay for the goods in advance. After the transaction was completed, I could get the payment back and earn the commission," Li said.

Li claimed that over the three years he spent communicating with her, she purportedly urged him to invest more than once.

He was apparently initially doubtful, as he had asked for video calls and in-person meetings, but she rejected him each time.

Photos

In June 2026, Yuting reportedly brought up investing and claimed she would return to Singapore.

“I asked her to send me photos to prove she was a real person, and she really did send them, so I believed her," Li said.

Yuting apparently sent several photos of a woman, including one of her sitting in a hotel bed in pyjamas and another of her in a white dress holding a wine glass.

Invest

After much persuasion, Li purportedly opened an account in May 2026 and invested about S$80,000 within a month.

He claimed he initially placed orders as instructed and earned commissions, but kept them in the account instead of withdrawing them.

As the orders grew larger and the payments even reached tens of thousands of dollars, he put in all his savings until he could no longer afford to "take orders".

"By mid-June, I could not complete an order of nearly S$40,000, and the system showed my account had been blocked, telling me to transfer money in immediately to 'unlock' it," Li said.

To get the money back into his account, he purportedly transferred money again and completed the order.

When he later tried to withdraw the money, he was reportedly told that the specified time had passed, his "credit limit" did not meet the requirement, and he needed to top up again before he could withdraw.

Li alleged that Yuting wanted him to top up 50,000 USDT (S$63,780.51) to restore the “credit limit”.

USDT, also known as Tether, is a digital token.

It is a stablecoin designed to maintain a stable value equal to US$1.

If not, the money in the account could apparently not be withdrawn.

“Only then did I feel something was wrong and suspect I had been scammed," Li said.

Don't dare to make friends online

Li added that he has not recovered any money and no longer dares to make friends online.

"All this was hard-earned savings. I hope Yuting will see this and return my money,” Li said.

He also shared his experience publicly to remind people to stay vigilant.

Exposed

Once her ruse was found out, Yuting reportedly told Li to “do whatever you need to do” and to lodge a police report.

She then blocked him.

Li also claimed he could still log into the “online store” account in June 2026.

However, the website was no longer valid.

“Lawyer” he sought help from also scammed him

At that point, Li felt that his money was gone.

He sought legal assistance online and found a “lawyer” to recover the lost money.

However, Li was apparently scammed again and lost about S$10,000.

"I entered my personal details online, and a man named Christian contacted me. He claimed to be a lawyer who could help me get my money back. He even sent me a transfer record, asserting that he had moved the 60,000 USDT (S$76,537) from my account to my cryptocurrency wallet, but stated that I needed to pay a fee before I could withdraw the funds," Li said.

Li reportedly followed the instructions and transferred 7,153 USDT (S$9,124) to “Christian”.

"Christian" subsequently cut off all contact.

According to Shin Min, the police have confirmed the incident.

Investigations are ongoing.