Filipino National Charged in Singapore for Impersonation Scams
De Villar Rizalyn Panganiban, 35, a Filipino, allegedly belonged to a criminal group that carried out government official impersonation scams, in which victims were tricked into believing their bank accounts had been compromised before being persuaded to transfer money to accounts controlled by scammers.
She was among the 12 people charged in September last year after the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Cambodian national police disrupted the syndicate in a cross-border operation.
SPF said then that the group is believed to be behind at least 330 reported cases involving losses of over S$40 million (US$31 million). Apart from De Villar, nine Singaporeans and three Malaysians were charged.
De Villar claimed trial to two charges, one for being a member of a locally-linked organised criminal group, and the other for conspiring with others in the group to cheat. She is represented by lawyer Chooi Jing Yen of his eponymous law firm.
Court documents did not specify where De Villar was located when offered the job.
