Woman, 49, arrested in S'pore over alleged 'Fun Coffee' Ponzi scheme; 1 victim lost about S$400,000

A 49-year-old woman was arrested on August 6 in Singapore as part of a police investigation into a suspected investment scam associated with the Fun Coffee platform. The platform is based in Vietnam and has a physical location in Jalan Besar. Alleged investment scam The Singapore Police Force announced on August 8 that the woman had actively promoted the investment scheme and encouraged others to join.

Users were directed to download the Fun Coffee app and transfer Tether (USDT), a cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar, to digital wallet addresses provided through the app. The application offered various investment plans, promising unusually high returns, and participants could earn additional commissions by recruiting new members.

Victims in Singapore were later unable to retrieve their funds through the app. The woman faces potential penalties of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to S$200,000, or both, under Section 3 of the Multi-Level Marketing and Pyramid Selling (Prohibition) Act 1973. If convicted, she could face imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to S$200,000, or both.

Fun Coffee describes itself as a lifestyle brand that combines coffee, wellness, and digital innovation into a community experience. The company operates a café with a coffee-making robot at 202 Jalan Besar and claims to have assets exceeding US$1 billion and a staff of over 5,000. Arrests made in Hong Kong and Macau This arrest in Singapore follows simultaneous arrests in Hong Kong and Macau, where eight individuals were apprehended in connection with the Fun Coffee scheme, according to earlier reports from the South China Morning Post.

Over 220 complaints were lodged after the Fun Coffee app went offline on July 20, resulting in reported losses of HK$94 million (S$15.3 million) for victims. A Singapore investor, who invested approximately S$400,000 in the scheme, spoke to the Shin Min Daily News. She learned about Fun Coffee through a friend in June 2025, who shared videos of the company's events.

In September 2025, she was informed that she could earn S$100 by bringing ten friends to a company fun run, and each attendee would receive S$50. After attending the event, she downloaded the application and began investing. Initially, she received around S$10,000 in returns, which she reinvested into the scheme. However, on July 21, one of her friends from Hong Kong informed her that withdrawals were no longer possible.

This issue persisted for three days, prompting her to file a police report. The woman expressed deep regret for introducing her friends and family members to the scheme and stated that she now has only about S$80 remaining in her bank account. She is uncertain about how to proceed next. The Singapore police have urged the public not to make any additional payments to the scheme, even if approached by individuals claiming affiliation with Fun Coffee or through requests via the application.

They also advised caution before engaging in any investment opportunities, including avoiding transfers to personal or unregistered accounts and conducting independent research on any investment opportunity before committing funds.