4 men in Singapore charged over sex videos in second Telegram group case

Four men in Singapore were charged in court on Wednesday for possessing and transmitting obscene materials through a Telegram chat group.

The group, called “Sam’s lots of CB collection”, possessed and transmitted sex videos, nude photos of women and exploitative videos, all circulated without the women’s consent.

The police said in a statement that after they received a report against the Telegram group in October 2019, they arrested four men responsible for the upkeep of the channel and the distribution of the obscene contents.

Electronic devices were seized from the four men, and obscene materials including thousands of video files and pictures were uncovered by forensic examination and extensive investigations.

Wong Ming Jun, 28, Lincoln Anthony Fernandez, 30, Tan Yeow Chong, 40, and Yee Wing Kay, 46, were each handed charges under the Films Act and the Penal Code for transmitting or possessing obscene material.

Wong, Fernandez and Tan are Singaporeans while Yee is a Malaysian and a permanent resident in Singapore.

All four will have their cases mentioned again on Aug 25.

If convicted, the offence of possession of obscene films is punishable with a jail term of up to six months, or fine of up to S$20,000, or both. The offence of transmitting obscene materials carries a jail term of up to three months, a fine, or both.

The case is the second involving a Singapore-based Telegram chat group circulating porn.

The first group, called “SG Nasi Lemak”, was created in November 2018 and four of its administrators were arrested in October 2019.

At its peak, the site had more than 44,000 members accessing sexually explicit materials.

The organiser Leonard Teo Min Xuan, 27, was sentenced to nine weeks jail and fined S$26,000. He also had to undergo mandatory treatment for a year for major depressive disorder.

Members of the group discussed sexual matters, circulated obscene materials and promoted vice activities.

In order to remain in the group, members had to stay active by uploading and sharing pornographic material.

The police said they take a very serious view of sexual exploitation of women perpetuated through such illegal chat groups. They advised members of the public not to join such groups and instead to report them to the police.