SINGAPORE — Liao Nuoqian, 25, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on June 24, 2025, after pleading guilty to multiple charges of cheating linked to an elaborate fraud scheme involving the purchase of luxury goods worth over $300,000.
Liao, who was in Hong Kong before traveling to Singapore in August 2024, received instructions from an anonymous Telegram contact to use a debit card issued in China to buy gold bars and luxury watches. The cardholder’s name was not on the card, and Liao was instructed to forge the cardholder’s signature during purchases to make it appear authentic.
During his stay in Singapore, Liao purchased several gold bars and watches, including three Rolexes and one Patek Philippe, following directions from accomplices Zhuo, Wang, and Wen, three Chinese nationals involved in the scheme. These accomplices were in Singapore with him and coordinated the purchases and transfer of goods.
The fraud came to light after Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department received reports of a scam victim transferring over 148,000 yuan (S$26,400) to the debit card’s linked bank account. Liao was arrested on August 30, 2024, in Orchard Road.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Li Ting stated that Liao’s offences involved nearly $185,000 across five counts of cheating, with an additional 18 charges related to more than $116,000 considered during sentencing.
Liao had initially connected with “Gan Tie Xia,” a male contact from a Telegram group sharing illicit content, before agreeing to participate in the scheme. Gan provided the debit card and arranged for Liao to pass purchased goods to associates in Singapore, promising to share profits from overseas resale.
