Chinese woman jailed for paying $20K for sham marriage with S’porean man to remain in S’pore
A Chinese woman was jailed for paying a Singaporean man $20,000 to enter into a sham marriage so she could remain in Singapore.
The woman, Zhong Fang Yuan (transliterated), 31, faced six charges under the Immigration Act.
She pleaded guilty to two charges, with the remaining taken into consideration, and was sentenced to six months and eight weeks’ jail, reported Shin Min Daily News.
Arranged sham marriage to start business
According to court documents, Zhong was introduced to a Singaporean man, Zhou Pei Hao (transliterated), 35, by a friend in mid-November 2023.
The pair met to discuss entering into a sham marriage so that Zhong could remain in Singapore and start a business with her friends.
Zhou initially demanded $80,000 during their first meeting, but Zhong found the amount too high and negotiated it down to her proposed terms.
She agreed to pay Zhou $2,000 upon registration of the marriage, $8,000 after the ceremony, and $10,000 annually until she successfully obtained permanent residency.
Zhong also asked Zhou to stay at her home at least once a week to create the appearance of a genuine marriage.
The couple registered their marriage on Nov 30, 2023 and held a ceremony at a steamboat restaurant along Beach Road on Dec 4 that year. Zhong paid Zhou in cash at each stage as agreed.
Although they did not live together, Zhong had him place some of his personal belongings in her home to give the impression that they were cohabitating.
Both arrested after raid
By the end of 2024, Zhong had paid Zhou a total of $20,000.
In return, Zhou successfully helped her apply for three short-term and two long-term visit passes.
In July 2025, authorities conducted raids at Zhong’s residence in Joo Chiat and Zhou’s home in Marsiling, where they found the pair were not living together. Both were arrested.
Zhong’s lawyer told the court that she holds a master’s degree and had intended to work in Singapore to support herself and her family. She was also said to be actively involved in community service.
Zhong expressed remorse for her actions and promised not to reoffend, asking the court for leniency. Her lawyer added that she was diagnosed with depression between 2023 and 2024 and had sought treatment in both China and Singapore.
In sentencing, the judge said Zhong had committed a serious offence by deceiving the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), noting that such offences are difficult to detect.
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