A 46-year-old male Singaporean, Pang Beng Lee (Beng Lee) and a 34-year- old female Chinese national, Qin Fuxing (Qin), were convicted and sentenced on 11 March 2021 for offences under the Immigration Act. 

2        Investigations revealed that Beng Lee had arranged a Marriage of Convenience (MOC) between his late elder brother, Pang Beng Hai (Beng Hai) and Qin. Beng Lee first met Qin when she was residing and working in Malaysia in 2013. They could not register their marriage as Beng Lee was already married with children then. Knowing that Beng Hai needed a flat to stay after transferring the ownership of his flat to his ex-wife, Beng Lee then suggested for him to marry Qin so that they could apply for subsidised public housing by virtue of the marriage. In this way, Beng Lee could also continue to be with Qin.

3        Beng Hai and Qin subsequently solemnised their marriage on 11 September 2017, with Beng Lee as the witness. Qin managed to extend her stay in Singapore several times with Beng Hai acting as her sponsor. Beng Lee had also abetted Beng Hai and Qin to make false statements by declaring that ‘the couple’ were staying together at the same residential address stated in Qin’s Visit Pass applications.

4        On 31 May 2018, officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) arrested Beng Lee, Beng Hai and Qin at three different residential addresses in Jurong, Hougang and Woodlands respectively for MOC and false statement offences. On 11 March 2021, Beng Lee was sentenced to 12 months and two weeks’ imprisonment, while Qin was sentenced to 10 months and two weeks’ imprisonment. Charges against Beng Hai for his involvement in the MOC and false statement offences were abated as he had passed away in April 2020.

5        ICA takes a serious view of individuals trying to circumvent our system by engaging in or arranging/assisting to arrange MOCs to obtain immigration facilities in Singapore. The penalty for the MOC offence is a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both. For making false statements to obtain immigration facilities, the penalty is a fine not exceeding S$4,000 or an imprisonment term not exceeding 12 months, or both.

6        ICA will continue to take firm enforcement action against errant couples and middlemen. We will spare no effort in investigating such cases, and will pursue every available lead. We welcome members of the public to report any suspected case of MOC, as well as any other immigration-related offences, to ICA via our “Reporting of Immigration Offenders” online form at https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/feedbackio. All information will be treated with the strictest confidence.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
11 MARCH 2021