A 22-year-old Singaporean man, Noel Teo Junwei, has been sentenced to nine months and 10 weeks in jail and fined S$12,000 for entering into a marriage of convenience with a 35-year-old Vietnamese woman, Bui Thi Huong. The marriage, solemnised in a Sentosa hotel room, was part of a scheme where Teo received S$8,000 from Huong as a reward. Teo also facilitated a similar arrangement for a friend, earning additional payments.
Background
Teo’s involvement in marriage of convenience schemes began after befriending Ang Kun Teng Javier at a nightclub. Ang arranged such marriages for Singaporean men, who were compensated for their participation. Teo introduced his friend, Lim Meng Yang Ryan, to Ang and helped coordinate Lim’s sham marriage. Teo had a vested interest in Lim’s arrangement, expecting a cut of the payments. Despite Lim’s initial hesitation, Teo ensured the marriage proceeded and received S$3,000 to S$4,000 from Ang after the ceremony. Teo also monitored the status of Lim’s wife’s long-term visit pass (LTVP) application, anticipating further payments.
Married Vietnamese woman, 35, & got S$8,000 from her
In the latter half of 2023, Teo decided to enter into a marriage of convenience himself to settle gambling debts. He agreed to marry Huong, acting as her local sponsor. The arrangement promised S$5,000 on the day of the solemnisation, another S$5,000 upon LTVP approval, and S$1,000 monthly until the LTVP expired. Teo met Huong in Vietnam in January, where they spent a few days together to prepare for potential scrutiny from authorities. They returned to Singapore together, and Teo provided his SingPass login details to Ang for booking the marriage appointment. The wedding took place on Feb. 1 at the former Hard Rock Hotel in Sentosa, after which Teo received S$5,000 from Huong.
Stayed separately after marriage
Teo applied for an LTVP for Huong on Feb. 11, falsely declaring to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that she did not provide him with money or benefits for the marriage. To bolster the application, he listed Huong as an occupant of his Fernvale Road address, though she actually lived in Orchard Plaza. In February, Teo borrowed S$5,000 from Huong, which covered the payment he would have received upon LTVP approval. Huong also made three monthly payments of S$1,000 from March to May 2024, totalling S$8,000. Teo was arrested by ICA officers in June during checks at the Fernvale flat.
Gets jail and S$12,000 fine
Teo is among seven Singaporean men and six Vietnamese women charged in June for involvement in sham marriages. He pleaded guilty to two charges under the Immigration Act on Sep. 19. The judge sentenced him to nine months and 10 weeks in jail and imposed a S$12,000 fine. Ang’s and Lim’s cases are still pending in court.
We take a serious view of this: ICA
The ICA emphasised its firm stance against individuals circumventing the system through marriages of convenience to obtain immigration facilities. “We will continue to take firm enforcement action against errant couples and middlemen,” ICA stated. Offenders can face fines up to S$10,000, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. Those making false statements to obtain immigration facilities risk fines up to S$4,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both. The public is urged to report suspected cases and other immigration-related offences via ICA’s online feedback form.
Related articles:
- Jail for S’porean man, 22, who agreed to marry Vietnamese woman, 35 for S$8,000. He also helped arrange a similar marriage for his friend.
- No sex but love trial sham marriage
- Woman marriage of convenience
- 6 Vietnamese, 7 Singaporean marriage fraud
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