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https://www.stomp.sg/singapore-seen...over-268k-knew-she-had-payouts-her-mums-death
Man cheated Carousell friend of over $268k, knew she had payouts from her mum's death
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PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES
Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
Sept 2, 2025
A man gained a woman's trust after befriending her on online marketplace Carousell, even though he never delivered the items she paid him for.
He went on to cheat her of more than $268,000 in total over 59 occasions.
Thevendran Elan Goven, 31, committed the offences over seven months after lying to the 25-year-old victim that he needed to borrow money to pay for items such as a dental bill and court-related matters.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Suriya Prakash said: "(He) did not stop cheating the victim even after all her money had been exhausted."
The victim went on to give Thevendran $26,000 from a bank account belonging to her father without his consent.
Thevendran had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of cheating involving more than $246,000, and he was initially expected to be sentenced on Sept 2.
The Singaporean will return to court on Oct 23 for sentencing.
Two other cheating charges related to the remaining amount will be considered during his sentencing.
On or before July 24, 2021, Thevendran posted a listing on Carousell for a PlayStation 4 (PS4) and the victim responded.
He told her the game console would be delivered within seven days if she paid a deposit of $150.
He also told her that she had to pay a balance of another $150 after he delivered the PS4.
The woman transferred $150 to Thevendran on July 24, 2021. The pair continued messaging on Carousell about unrelated matters before continuing their conversation on WhatsApp.
Three days later, he asked her to pay the remaining $150 for the console, which he had not delivered, and an additional $49 for some PS4 games.
The victim complied and transferred $199, but did not receive the items.
By August that year, he came to know that she had received a sum of money from insurance and Central Provident Fund payouts following her mother's death.
Between August and December 2021, he cheated her of more than $246,000 in total over 48 occasions.
"By Dec 23, 2021, the accused knew that the victim had delivered all her money to (him)," the DPP said.
"The accused knew that any money that she delivered him from that point onwards would not be hers."
In 2022, between Jan 5 and 9, Thevendran cheated her of nearly $22,000 in total over nine occasions.
He later used his ill-gotten gains to fund personal expenses and settle gambling debts.
The prosecutor told the court that on each of these 57 occasions, Thevendran deceived the victim by promising to repay her by a certain date.
Between November 2021 and February 2022, he returned $5,000 to her in total.
His offences finally came to light when the victim's father alerted the police about some missing money in his bank account after she handed $26,000 from the account to Thevendran.
The offender was charged in court in 2023.
The DPP said that Thevendran made a restitution of $24,000 to the woman in July 2024.
In June 2025, he made a further restitution of $80,000 to her.
For each count of cheating, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
