SINGAPORE: For nearly a year, a cross-dressing social escort enjoyed a life of luxury, splurging on gold jewellery at the expense of his customers, whose credit cards he stole to rack up bills totaling S$51,250.
Nur Alya Sefira Mohd Hadim evaded arrest for 11 months as authorities puzzled over the case, looking for the female suspect captured on CCTV footage before discovering that Alya was a cross-dresser. The 31-year-old was arrested in a surprise raid on his home in June 2015.
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Alya was sentenced to three years’ jail on Monday (Dec 19) after he pleaded guilty to 17 of 187 charges for theft and cheating offences.
A district court heard Alya, a freelance make-up artist by day and social escort by night, met most of his victims at Orchard Towers, where he often solicited for customers.
He stole credit cards from party-goers he met at Orchard Towers’ many bars, and from customers, mainly foreign, who engaged his services. His victims included Irish, Danish, French, British, Australian, Finnish, German, Swedish and American men.
Alya even stole from his own doctor, whom he visited regularly for hormone injections.
It was the unsuspecting doctor who he stole the most from – Alya managed 71 successful transactions totaling S$12,271 in more than a month before the 68-year-old doctor realised his credit card was being used by someone else.
Alya admitted he pocketed the doctor’s credit card, which was left unattended on a table, when the doctor turned his back to wash his hands. Alya used the credit card to buy three Samsung phones, among other purchases.
Other victims lost between S$1,995 and S$6,728. Alya admitted he used the stolen cards to pay for his daily expenses and to go on shopping sprees for gold jewellery and mobile phones. He would then pawn the jewellery and sell the phones for cash.
Only S$12,559 worth of goods were recovered from pawn shops. Alya did not make any restitution.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vadivalagan Shanmuga urged the court to sentence Alya to at least three years’ jail. “The accused planned his crimes in such a way that he was undetectable,” DPP Vadivalagan said, adding Alya’s offences were clearly pre-planned.
The prosecutor also pointed out Alya had used the same modus operandi to steal ATM cards, cash and phones from customers in 2012. He was jailed for 18 months, including a stint for drug offences.
His repeat offending showed “a blatant disregard for the law,” the DPP said.
Defence lawyer S S Dhillon pressed for a three-year jail term, saying Alya had cooperated with the authorities once he was caught and is regretful.
For cheating, Alya could have faced up to 10 years’ jail per charge and fined.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...t-jailed-3-years-for-credit-card/3379240.html
Nur Alya Sefira Mohd Hadim evaded arrest for 11 months as authorities puzzled over the case, looking for the female suspect captured on CCTV footage before discovering that Alya was a cross-dresser. The 31-year-old was arrested in a surprise raid on his home in June 2015.
inRead invented by Teads
Alya was sentenced to three years’ jail on Monday (Dec 19) after he pleaded guilty to 17 of 187 charges for theft and cheating offences.
A district court heard Alya, a freelance make-up artist by day and social escort by night, met most of his victims at Orchard Towers, where he often solicited for customers.
He stole credit cards from party-goers he met at Orchard Towers’ many bars, and from customers, mainly foreign, who engaged his services. His victims included Irish, Danish, French, British, Australian, Finnish, German, Swedish and American men.
Alya even stole from his own doctor, whom he visited regularly for hormone injections.
It was the unsuspecting doctor who he stole the most from – Alya managed 71 successful transactions totaling S$12,271 in more than a month before the 68-year-old doctor realised his credit card was being used by someone else.
Alya admitted he pocketed the doctor’s credit card, which was left unattended on a table, when the doctor turned his back to wash his hands. Alya used the credit card to buy three Samsung phones, among other purchases.
Other victims lost between S$1,995 and S$6,728. Alya admitted he used the stolen cards to pay for his daily expenses and to go on shopping sprees for gold jewellery and mobile phones. He would then pawn the jewellery and sell the phones for cash.
Only S$12,559 worth of goods were recovered from pawn shops. Alya did not make any restitution.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vadivalagan Shanmuga urged the court to sentence Alya to at least three years’ jail. “The accused planned his crimes in such a way that he was undetectable,” DPP Vadivalagan said, adding Alya’s offences were clearly pre-planned.
The prosecutor also pointed out Alya had used the same modus operandi to steal ATM cards, cash and phones from customers in 2012. He was jailed for 18 months, including a stint for drug offences.
His repeat offending showed “a blatant disregard for the law,” the DPP said.
Defence lawyer S S Dhillon pressed for a three-year jail term, saying Alya had cooperated with the authorities once he was caught and is regretful.
For cheating, Alya could have faced up to 10 years’ jail per charge and fined.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...t-jailed-3-years-for-credit-card/3379240.html
