SINGAPORE: A 36-year-old man suspected of robbing two men of S$365,000 in cash during a fake bitcoin-related transaction along Middle Road was charged with robbery with hurt on Thursday (Apr 12).
Malaysian Mohd Abdul Rahman Mohamad is accused of robbing compatriot Pang Joon Hau and punching his face at Hotel 81 along Middle Road on Apr 8.
He allegedly committed the offence with an accomplice, 36-year-old Singaporean Syed Mokhtar Syed Yusope, an Uber driver who was charged on Apr 11 with the same offence.
It is unclear if the two men will face additional charges for assaulting and robbing the second victim.
Both the victims were bitcoin brokers looking to buy bitcoins. Channel NewsAsia understands Syed Mokhtar was acting as a prospective seller of bitcoins when he met both victims, while Abdul Rahman claimed to be a part-time broker.
The two suspects then allegedly hit both the victims and fled the scene with the large sum of money.
Abdul Rahman is believed to have given Syed Mokhtar about S$10,000 and spent about S$80,000 himself to buy branded goods, including a Rolex watch valued at S$45,800.
About S$271,000 in cash remain unaccounted for.
Syed Mokhtar was arrested by the authorities on Monday at the Woodlands Checkpoint, while Abdul Rahman was arrested the following day at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa.
Sources say Abdul Rahman was staying in multiple luxury hotels after the alleged robbery.
Separately, Abdul Rahman’s ex-wife, Singaporean Yogeshwry Raman, was charged with dishonestly receiving stolen property in court on Thursday. Court documents stated that Yogeshwry allegedly received items including the Rolex watch and cash worth S$4,500 between Monday and Tuesday.
The branded goods that were purchased using the proceeds of the crime recovered by the Singapore Police Force. (Photo: Kamini Devadass)
At a police press conference on Thursday, Commander of Central Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Arthur Law said: “This case is unusual because the victim had carried along with him large amounts of cash totalling S$365,000.
“Generally when people transact in bitcoins or any other transactions, they do not carry that kind of cash. In fact, if you carry that kind of cash, you run the risk of being robbed.”
Abdul Rahman was also charged with another offence of housebreaking and theft by night. He is accused of committing the offence at a landed property home along Chuan Walk on Mar 7 and is believed to have stolen cash and other items worth a total of S$150,000.
