SINGAPORE — A seller on online marketplace Carousell promised his customers Rolex watches and hotel stay packages at the Marina Bay Sands. He pocketed close to S$22,000 but none of them received any of their purchases.

On Wednesday (April 10), Foo Siang Wee, 26, pleaded guilty to five counts of cheating and one count of theft in dwelling.  Eleven other similar charges will also be taken into consideration during sentencing on April 16.

From March to September last year, Foo cheated 16 people on Carousell by offering them services and products that he never delivered.

In one instance, Mr Chew Jia Le contacted Foo through the latter’s account, “Jace Ang”, to purchase three-day and two-night stays in the Mariner Suite of Marina Bay Sands Hotel worth S$1,100. Upon Foo’s instruction, Mr Chew transferred the money to Foo’s bank account on June 3. However, Mr Chew received a text message from Foo on June 20 saying that he had been cheated.

Sometime in June last year, Mr Muhammad Siddiq Mohamed Amin contacted Foo to purchase a Rolex Submariner watch worth S$10,000. He transferred the money to Foo’s bank account and waited several days for it to be delivered.

When Mr Siddiq did not receive the watch after nine days, he sent a Whatsapp message to Foo. That was when Foo informed Mr Siddiq that he had been cheated and that he had turned himself in to the police.

Over a six month period, Foo used this online scam on several other people, raking in close to S$22,000.

In a separate incident in March 2018, Foo stole US$200 (S$270) from a hotel guest who was staying at Quality Hotel along Balestier Road. While the guest was out, Foo used a master key to enter the room, unlocked the hotel room’s safe and took the money.

He was arrested on March 20 after the guest made a police report. Court documents did not state if Foo was employed by the hotel at the time.

For cheating and dishonestly inducing a delivery of property, Foo could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

For theft in a dwelling, Foo could be jailed for up to seven years and fined.