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S'porean woman gets 6 months' jail in Taiwan for stalking & harassing Taiwanese singer Olivia Tsao
She was convicted of coercion and endangering Tsao's personal safety.
June 12, 2025, 04:15 PM
A Singaporean woman has been sentenced to six months' jail by a Taiwan court after she stalked and harassed Taiwanese singer Olivia Tsao online and in public.
The New Taipei District Court charged Cassandra Low for the offences of coercion and endangering the personal safety of Tsao, a court judgement on Jun. 5 stated.
The court said Low had repeatedly stalked and harassed the singer, and even publicly threatened and insulted her.
Tsao, 38, is a multi-Golden Melody Award winner, who mainly sings in the Taiwanese language.
Low, who is about 30 years old, according to Shin Min Daily News, is a fan of Tsao.
She and Tsao had previously interacted online, according to the court judgement.
Since November 2023, Low frequently sent Tsao e-mails and direct messages over Facebook and Instagram unrelated to Tsao's performances, and requested for her reply.
Threatening messages
After Tsao blocked Low on social media, Low got upset and started to post threats and insults against Tsao and her manager and family.
According to a court judgement, Low added Tsao and the singer's parents to a group chat on Facebook, and accused Tsao of lying about unblocking her.
She wrote in the chat, "I'm a very impulsive person. The more she is stubborn and unwilling to talk, don't blame me for what I will do to her parents".
She also tagged Tsao's manager, saying that she would "slowly torment the manager to death".
In an Instagram story, Low wrote, "You insist on ignoring. That makes me want to find her parents more. The more stubborn [she is], the more I want to find her entire family. The more [she] ignores, the more [I] will force her. It's you all who did not keep your word first. Don't blame me".
The court judgement quoted many more similar threats from Low on social media between November 2023 and January 2025.
Taiwan media reported that Low sent Tsao a direct message on Instagram saying, "May you be hit and killed by a car."
It made Tsao afraid to go out on her own for some time, and she hired security guards for protection.
Stalking Tsao in Taiwan
Low's aggressive behaviour escalated when she flew to Taiwan on Feb. 11, 2025, and followed Tsao at the Banqiao high-speed rail station on Feb. 14.
Low had found out that the singer would be there to take the train to Tainan, and went to a ticket gate to wait for her, the court judgement said.
When Tsao arrived, Low went up and grabbed Tsao's luggage and mobile phone strap, and demanded that Tsao unblock her on social media.
Tsao tried to make a call on her phone, but Low grabbed the phone strap again and caused the phone to be damaged.
The police later arrived at the station and took Low away for questioning.
Image from Shin Min Daily News
Tsao's manager told Shin Min that Tsao and Low had previously met once at a concert.
The manager believed that Low knew where Tsao lived, and speculated that she had been staying near Tsao's residence in Banqiao district, waiting for an opportunity to confront her at the train station.
The sentencing
The judgement said Low's actions had caused Tsao great psychological pressure and fear, and also damaged her reputation.
Low pleaded guilty to the offences.
She was sentenced to six months in jail, or a commuted fine of NT$1,000 (around S$43) for each day of her jail term.
She will also be deported from Taiwan after serving her sentence or paying the fine.
Tsao's lawyer told the court that Low earned a salary more than twice what people in Taiwan would earn, so if her sentence were commuted to a fine, the amount would not be effective in its deterrent impact.
The lawyer requested a fixed term of six months' jail that cannot be commuted to a fine.
However, the court said Low had pleaded guilty and expressed remorse during the trial, and that the punishment is commensurate with the crime.
The judgement also noted that the court had considered Low's background as a university graduate with a position in the Singapore public service, and has to support her family financially.
Tsao's response
On Jun. 11, Tsao posted a statement from her management on her Instagram, detailing the case and Low's sentence.
It said the court judgement is a reminder that everyone should respect the personal will and space of others, both online and in real life.
In an Instagram story on Jun. 11, Tsao expressed relief and gratitude, saying that the verdict was "the most comforting news in recent times".
Screenshot from Olivia Tsao's Instagram story
Top images from Tsao's Instagram, and Shin Min Daily News
