S'pore woman, 24, meets man, 51, on Sugarbook, backs out of paid sex deal, poses as her brother, demands S$8,100 from man

A 24-year-old woman in Singapore was sentenced to 11 months' jail on Sep. 15 after she pleaded guilty to cheating a man she met on the dating website Sugarbook.

Chang Wai Chain had pretended to be her own older brother to threaten a 51-year-old man into paying her money in April 2024, reported CNA.

This was after she refused to have paid sex with him, and also lied about her age to demand more money from him.

She had received a total of S$8,100.

Did not follow through with paid sex

The court heard that Chang had been using the Sugarbook platform under the name "Jasmine" to connect with the man.

The man had contacted her via the messaging app Telegram before they agreed to meet at his home on Apr. 4, 2024 for sex in exchange for S$400.

She was 23 years old at the time.

When they met, Chang chatted briefly with him but later lied that she had her period and could not have sex with him.

The man handed her S$150 even though they did not do anything sexual.

On Apr. 5, Chang told the man that she had lost the S$150 and asked for more money to attend a party.

He then transferred her S$200.

Pretended to be her own "brother"

Chang continued to ask for more money, but the man refused.

She later acted as her own nonexistent older brother on Apr. 8 and 9, and lied that she was a 17-year-old, accusing him of attempting to have sex with a minor.

She then threatened to expose him on social media and report him to the police unless he paid her.

Fearing exposure, the man transferred S$3,000 and continued to send money over several days, eventually paying a total of S$8,100.

On Apr. 11, he finally lodged a police report after realising her demands would not stop.

Also lied to the police

According to CNA, Chang had also lied several times to the police in the course of their investigations.

She denied agreeing to paid sex, claimed she only asked him for money because she felt exploited, and said a friend had sent the messages from her phone as a "joke".

Chang maintained this false account in six police statements between April and June 2024.

However, she later confessed to spending the money on apparel, meals and more.

Only S$800 remained, which was returned to the victim as partial restitution.

The prosecution initially sought between 12 and 15 months' jail, citing Chang's premeditation, persistence, and repeated lies.

Her lawyer had asked for a shorter sentence of up to 10 months instead, highlighting that she had not targeted multiple victims or engaged in elaborate forgeries.

Chang pleaded guilty to one count of cheating, which the prosecutor noted would have amounted to extortion if not for the amended offence.

Top photo via Canva