Vietnamese woman marries S'porean sugar daddy to secure PR status, gets 7 weeks' jail
A Vietnamese woman was sentenced to seven weeks in jail on March 3 after pleading guilty to entering a sham marriage with a Singaporean man to secure permanent residency (PR).
Shin Min Daily News reported that Vietnamese national Koi Thi Truc Linh, 28, was sentenced to seven weeks' jail after pleading guilty to one of three charges handed to her.
Sometime in March or April 2020, Koi met Bobby Thedores Tan, now 32, at a friend's house and began a paid sexual arrangement in July of the same year.
In June 2021, the Singaporean started paying Koi $2,000 a week to be her sole client.
Three months later, Tan rented a flat along Beach Road and moved in with Koi. However, financial difficulties soon hindered his ability to pay for the rental flat and Koi's services, prompting him to end his relationship with her.
At the time, Tan reportedly owed Koi about $14,000.
Cancelled owed sum in exchange for marriage
Wishing to stay in Singapore, Koi proposed entering a sham marriage with Tan so she could apply for a long-term visit pass and eventually attain PR status with Tan as her sponsor.
In exchange for a successful PR application, Koi agreed to pay Tan a sum of money.
According to Mothership, the pair registered their marriage on February 17, 2022.
Koi then cancelled the $14,000 Tan owed to her. After the marriage, the Singaporean sponsored Koi's LTVP application on three occasions.
Case details reveal that on March 14, 2023, Koi falsely declared in her LTVP application that her marriage was not for the purpose of obtaining long-term residency in Singapore.
Her application was approved on April 27, 2023 and Koi was issued a year-long LTVP, reported Mothership.
In another LTVP application in August 2023, Tan, as her sponsor, also falsely declared that they did not enter the marriage for the wife's PR status.
Pair arrested last November
The pair were arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint on November 11, 2024.
According to Mothership, Koi was handed four charges:
- Three for false statements made during LTVP applications between February 2022 and January 2024
- One charge of knowingly entering a paid marriage with a Singaporean for immigration advantage.
She pleaded guilty to one of the charges and was sentenced to seven weeks' jail.
Earlier on Jan 16, Tan received seven weeks' jail after pleading guilty to three counts of violating immigration laws.
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