Alvin Ker Jia Jun, 31, was declared guilty on Monday (August 19) with 40 cheating charges in the State Court for swindling money from casualties in which he gained over S$500,000 in 2017 and 2018 via fake investment schemes using his Facebook account. Some of the victims, which some are his own friends and acquaintances, were cheated a plethora amount of times.
In 2017, Ker developed a gambling habit and desperately needed assets, specifically money, to participate in gambling sessions. He would use the money to gamble in casinos located in Singapore or overseas.
Multiple strategies were used to defraud his victims. One of his schemes to reel in more victims was posting screenshots of bank transfers from his transactions with his clients on his Facebook page. This would convince people that he was a genuine man.
He also asserted that the victims’ money would be invested in an opportunity regarding SkillsFuture project.
On the other hand, he would tell the victims that their cash would be used for investments in an educational institution.
When victims asked for their returns in their investments, he would make up excuses to divert attention away from his actual scheme, which was fraudulence.
On March 5 last year, Ker was detained after his return from a gambling trip. Since then, he has reimbursed more than S$100,000 in restitution.
For his sentencing, Ker can be jailed for up to 10 years and fine for each count of cheating charge against him.
