SINGAPORE: A man, who was one of two runners engaged to launder proceeds of a scam involving Pokemon cards, was sentenced to jail for dealing with nearly S$10,000 in ill-gotten gains.
Melvinder Singh Khaira was arrested in June 2025, and was out on bail when he stole food items worth over $52 from a supermarket six months later.
The 22-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to three months and five days’ jail on Monday (April 13), after pleading guilty to one count each of theft and dealing with the benefits of criminal conduct.
The mastermind of the scam operation, identified as Abdul Matiin Abdul Jameel, was dealt with in court earlier. Details about the second runner were not disclosed in court documents.
The court heard that Matiin had cheated 45 victims out of more than $91,000 in total after claiming to have Pokemon cards for sale, even though he did not.
In late April 2025, he approached Melvinder via messaging platform Telegram and asked him if he could help to conduct “some business”.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Nadia Lee said: “When the accused (Melvinder) asked Matiin what the ‘business’ involved, Matiin explained that all the accused had to do was collect cash from two locations and pass them to a worker who would collect on Matiin’s behalf.
“In return, the accused was promised $300 daily if he had helped him. Enticed by the lure of money, the accused agreed.”
On May 2, 2025, Matiin contacted Melvinder on Telegram, asking if he could provide a bank account which would be used to receive “some company funds”.
He also assured Melvinder that the money was not “illegally received”.
The latter, who was not promised any gains for providing a bank account, then approached a friend, identified only as “Lean” in court documents.
Lean agreed to share his PayNow number with Melvinder, who relayed the information to Matiin.
The next day, Lean’s bank account received nearly $10,000.
Melvinder told Lean to withdraw the money and hand the cash to him.
Melvinder placed the funds in an undisclosed area around a Tampines market so Matiin could collect them later.
A police officer later told Lean that his bank account had been used to receive scam proceeds.
On June 27, 2025, officers arrested Melvinder, who was released on bail a week later.
He was caught stealing food on Dec 18, 2025, while out on bail.
DPP Lee told the court that Melvinder wanted to give his sister “a parting gift of food before she went overseas to study”, but realised there was no food at home to give her.
He had no money, but went to a supermarket in Tampines, where he slipped items worth more than $52 into a bag. They included a pack each of chicken meatballs and frozen unagi.
A security officer later stopped Melvinder, who admitted that he had taken the goods. The police were alerted soon after. - The Straits Times/ANN
