After solemnising his marriage to a 35-year-old Vietnamese national in a Sentosa hotel room, a 22-year-old Singaporean man did not stay together with her.

Instead, Noel Teo Junwei received S$8,000 from the woman, Bui Thi Huong, as a reward for entering into a marriage of convenience with her.

Helped friend get a marriage of convenience for a cut of the rewards

The court heard that Teo had befriended a man, Ang Kun Teng Javier, at a nightclub at Selegie Road.

He found out that Ang would arrange marriages of convenience for Singaporean men, who would get paid for their troubles.

So Teo introduced another friend, Lim Meng Yang Ryan, to the idea, and helped him liaise with Ang to make this happen.

Prior to Lim's wedding, which was scheduled for Feb. 20, 2023, Teo also sent his personal details to Ang to register himself as a marriage witness.

Court documents indicated that Teo had a "personal interest" in Lim's marriage of convenience as he intended to get a cut of the payments given to Lim.

Around Feb. 11, Lim told Ang he had cold feet about proceeding with the marriage, but Teo assured Ang that he would "settle" it.

Teo eventually attended Lim's ceremony and helped take pictures of Lim and his wife for Ang.

After the ceremony, Ang discreetly passed Teo about S$3,000 to S$4,000 in cash.

Subsequently, Teo asked Ang for updates on the status of a long-term visit pass (LTVP) application for Lim's wife, which Lim applied for in March 2023.

This was because Teo knew that a further payment would be made upon the approval of the LTVP, and S$200 of it would go to him.

Married Vietnamese woman, 35, & got S$8,000 from her

In the second half of 2023, Teo considered entering into a marriage of convenience himself as he needed to pay off his gambling debts.

As part of the agreement, he would marry and act as a local sponsor for a Vietnamese woman — and stand to receive S$5,000 on the day of the solemnisation, S$5,000 once she obtained an LTVP, and S$1,000 for every month until the LTVP expired.

Once he had made up his mind, Ang gave him information about his bride, Huong.

Teo flew to Vietnam in January to meet Huong. It was the first time he saw her.

The pair spent a few days getting acquainted with one another, in case the authorities questioned them about their relationship.

They also bought wedding rings there.

On Ang's instructions, the pair flew back to Singapore together on Jan. 21 so they would appear to be a real couple.

Teo helped fill up Huong's arrival card and put the address as his own address at Block 408A Fernvale Road in Sengkang.

Teo also gave his SingPass login details to Ang so Ang could book an appointment at the Registry of Marriages (ROM) for him and Huong.

Ang also booked a date and venue for the solemnisation and arranged for a solemniser to be present.

On Feb. 1, Teo solemnised his wedding with Huong in a hotel room at the former Hard Rock Hotel in Sentosa.

After the ceremony, he received S$5,000 in cash from Huong as a reward, before they went their separate ways.

Stayed separately after marriage

Court documents stated that Teo applied for an LTVP for Huong on Feb. 11, in which he made a declaration to the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) that she did not provide him money or benefits for agreeing to enter into the marriage.

To increase the chances of it being approved, Teo also indicated that Huong was an occupant of the Fernvale unit, where he stayed with his family.

But in actuality, she resided at a unit in Orchard Plaza.

Sometime in February, Teo asked for a loan of S$5,000 from Huong, telling her that she could deduct this amount from future payments made to him during the duration of the marriage of convenience.

Huong agreed, and lent the amount to him.

The loan covered the S$5,000 payment Huong would have paid to Teo once her LTVP was approved in March.

Huong additionally paid Teo three monthly payments of S$1,000 from March to May 2024.

Teo received S$8,000 from Huong in total for the marriage of convenience.

In June, Teo was arrested by ICA officers when they conducted checks at the Fernvale flat.

Gets jail and S$12,000 fine

According to CNA, Teo is one of seven Singaporean men and six Vietnamese women who were charged in court in June over suspected involvement in sham marriages.

Teo pleaded to two charges under the Immigration Act on Sep. 19.

The judge sentenced Teo to nine months and 10 weeks' jail, and slapped him with a S$12,000 fine.

Ang's and Lim's cases are still before the courts.

We take a serious view of this: ICA

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) told Mothership in a statement that it takes a serious view of individuals trying to circumvent the system by engaging in, arranging or assisting to arrange marriages of convenience (MOC) to obtain immigration facilities in Singapore.

"We will continue to take firm enforcement action against errant couples and middlemen," ICA said.

ICA said that those found guilty of an MOC offence can be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to 10 years, or both.

Those who make false statements to obtain immigration facilities can be fined up to S$4,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.

It reminded members of the public to report any suspected cases, as well as any other immigration-related offences via ICA's online feedback form.

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Top image from Canva