Three Chinese nationals have been sentenced to jail for their involvement in a transnational cybercrime syndicate that carried out large-scale hacking operations and data theft, the police said on Wednesday, November 5.
The men — Yan Peijian, 39, Huang Qinzheng, 37, and Liu Yuqi, 33 — were each convicted of multiple offences under Singapore's Organised Crime Act, the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, the Computer Misuse Act, and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
Yan and Huang were each sentenced to 28 months and one week's imprisonment, while Liu received 28 months and four weeks. Additional charges under the Computer Misuse Act were taken into consideration during sentencing.
The trio were among six people arrested on September 9, 2024, following an island-wide operation by the Singapore Police Force and the Internal Security Department. Investigations revealed that they were part of a global network that hacked into overseas gambling platforms and corporate systems to cheat during online gameplay and steal databases containing personal information for resale.
According to the police, the three men were directed by the syndicate's leader to probe websites for vulnerabilities, conduct penetration attacks, and extract data from compromised systems. They were also found with highly sophisticated hacking tools, including PlugX-related malware and multiple remote-access Trojans, which they used to launch cyber-attacks through several virtual machines.
Investigators also uncovered that the syndicate had obtained foreign government data, including confidential communications. Assets worth tens of millions were seized in connection with the case, including cash, bank accounts, vehicles, cryptocurrencies, and bottles of liquor valued at more than S$22 million. Authorities also issued prohibition orders on four properties estimated to be worth over S$30 million.
Two other suspects arrested in the same operation are still before the courts, while the alleged ringleader remains at large overseas.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Zhang Weihan, who is also Director of the Criminal Investigations Department, said the case underscores Singapore's zero-tolerance stance toward cybercrime. "Those who think they can exploit the anonymity of the Internet to commit crimes in Singapore should think twice. The police will not tolerate the use of Singapore as a base for cybercriminal activities," he said.
