A teenager who was entrusted with managing his father’s online financial matters misused that trust and transferred over SGD 91,000 to his own bank account, as per reports.
The boy, who was 16 years old at the time, had been helping his father with tasks such as checking the balance of his Central Provident Fund (CPF) account and making payments for insurance premiums. This gave him access to sensitive login details and financial information.
In August 2024, the teen used his father’s mobile phone to access the CPF account and made two unauthorised withdrawals totalling more than SGD 25,000. He later used his own mobile device to enter the father’s insurance account and applied for multiple loans amounting to over SGD 68,000 against the insurance policies.
Once the money from both the CPF withdrawals and insurance loans was credited to his father’s bank account, the teenager moved a total of SGD 91,149 to his own account using the PayNow transfer service. The misuse of funds remained unnoticed until the father’s niece assisted him with reviewing his insurance details. On discovering the large transfers, the father filed a police report in February 2025.
Investigations revealed that the youth had spent the money on fishing trips and a holiday to South Korea in August 2024. There has been no repayment so far, but both father and son have reached an understanding that the amount will be repaid once the teen begins earning.
The boy, now 17 years old, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 3, to a charge under the Computer Misuse Act. As he was under 18 at the time of the offence, his identity is protected under the Children and Young Persons Act.
During court proceedings, the prosecution highlighted that the offences were premeditated and involved misuse of knowledge gained through a trusted relationship. The defence lawyer argued that the boy was immature at the time and has since shown signs of responsibility and change.
The judge has requested reports to assess the teen’s suitability for probation and reformative training, and sentencing has been postponed to October 2025.
