SINGAPORE: A Chinese woman married a Singaporean man—not out of love, but out of business. The 31-year-old woman spent a total of $20,000 to enter a fake marriage in hopes of opening a business in Singapore. She also made the man stay with her at least once a week to avoid suspicion from the authorities.
However, the woman failed and faced six charges of violating immigration laws. She admitted to two of these counts, and she was sentenced to six months and eight weeks in jail.
Case details
According to Shin Min Daily News, the suspect met with the 35-year-old Singaporean man through a friend and discussed a fake marriage proposal in order for her to stay in Singapore and start a business.
Initially, the man asked for $80,000 before agreeing to the fake marriage, but after some haggling made by the suspect, they finally agreed on a price.
The suspect was willing to give the man $2,000 upon agreement, $8,000 after the ceremony, and an additional $10,000 annually until she succeeded in obtaining permanent residency. The fake couple decided to register their marriage in November 2023, and they held their fake wedding ceremony in December of the same year.
After each ‘stage’ was completed, the suspect paid the man. They did not live together, but the man left some personal belongings behind to create an illusion that they were living together. During their agreement, the man successfully applied for three short-term visitation permits and two long-term visitation permits for the suspect.
However, in July 2025, the authorities raided the suspect’s home and found out that the two did not live together, and they eventually arrested them.
In similar news related to arrest, there was a recent report where a man was also caught for breaking into a retail outlet and stealing an Arowana fish valued at $1,400. The 63-year-old man allegedly damaged the rear gate of the shop and illegally entered the premises.
Read more about the news story here.
