Four Singapore men to be charged for mortgaging residential property without owner’s knowledge

Four men, aged between 27 and 39, are set to face criminal charges on November 10 for allegedly participating in a fraudulent mortgage scheme involving a residential property without the owner's consent. The men were apprehended during a two-day operation on April 14 and 15. The scheme surfaced on April 3 when the victim observed a caveat placed on his property linked to an unapproved loan application.

Preliminary investigations unveiled fraudulent documents utilized to apply for mortgage loans, with the victim's property serving as collateral. The group allegedly collaborated with another individual to fraudulently secure mortgage loans exceeding $6 million from two credit companies, utilizing the property as collateral. The 39-year-old allegedly misrepresented the victim and employed forged ID documents to complete loan applications.

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old enticed the victim away from his home twice under false pretenses, while a 29-year-old aided in accessing the victim's property for property valuations. The 36-year-old allegedly helped forge a National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) used in the fraudulent scheme. The identities of the fifth individual involved are still under investigation.

The 27- and 29-year-old face charges of abetting cheating, with penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, fines, or caning. The 36-year-old will be charged with abetting the unlawful issuance of an identity card, carrying penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, fines, or caning. The 39-year-old, who used a forged identity to sign loan documents and obtain property-related documents, faces charges including two counts of abetting cheating, one count of possession of a forged identity card, and three counts of using a forged electronic record.