Kidnappers of S'porean man, 72, allegedly demanded S$1 million ransom from family
His family reportedly received audio and video messages on Aug. 4 that showed him blindfolded and handcuffed.
A 72-year-old Singaporean man was allegedly kidnapped in Malaysia, with his family accused of paying a S$1 million ransom. According to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, the kidnappers allegedly met the man online, inviting him to Penang with a high-paying consulting job. The man had reportedly traveled to Malaysia on his own, arriving at an airport in Penang on July 26, 2026.
His family became concerned for his safety and alerted the Singapore Police Force (SPF) after his disappearance. On August 4, the family received audio and video messages showing the man blindfolded, handcuffed, and beaten. Subsequently, the family transferred S$15,000 to the kidnappers in three installments, but the money was immediately withdrawn.
The Singapore Police Force collaborated with Malaysian authorities, leading to a raid on a residence in Kedah, Malaysia, where two suspects were killed when they faced gunfire. The man and a 33-year-old female Chinese national were found blindfolded and handcuffed, treated at a hospital, and later discharged. Six suspects, including a Malaysian man and five Chinese nationals, were arrested at another residence.
The suspects allegedly had connections to other kidnapping cases involving two female Chinese nationals in Kuala Lumpur. The police warned the public to exercise caution when interacting with online acquaintances, especially those inviting them to meet in person or travel overseas.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
