{
  "id": 258840,
  "title": "Man jailed for pretending to supply gloves and face masks during COVID-19 pandemic, cheating 11 victims of S$3.79m",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/man-jailed-for-pretending-to-supply-gloves-and-face-masks-during",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T09:38:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/face-mask-covid-pandemic-crime-6305781"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gerald Chan Tzen-Chou, a 48-year-old man, has been sentenced to eight years and nine months in jail for cheating 11 victims of S$3.79 million during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court found Chan guilty of lying to his supposed clients and convincing them to invest in a fake Indonesian surgical mask factory. Chan's victims included individuals who met him through WeChat groups and online platforms, where he falsely presented himself as an authorized distributor of 3M surgical face masks and claimed to supply hospitals in Singapore. To gain their trust, Chan stocked his offices with boxes of medical supplies and completed small orders to demonstrate his ability to fulfill larger ones. Chan also promised high returns on investment and deceptive shipments of surgical masks to his victims, ultimately defrauding them of their money. The judge emphasized the significant harm caused to the victims, particularly as they had been on bail during the majority of the offenses. Chan's biggest victim fell prey to his scheme, losing S$850,000. The prosecution did not seek compensation orders for the victims, as their lawyer confirmed that Chan would not have the financial means to repay them.",
  "summary": "Gerald Chan Tzen-Chou, who has been in remand since December 2020, told one of his victims that global demand for surgical face masks was very high and convinced her to invest with him in an Indonesian factory producing them. Neither the factory nor his investment was real.",
  "key_points": [
    "Gerald Chan sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in jail",
    "Chan defrauded 11 victims of S$3.79 million",
    "Chan posed as authorized surgical mask distributor"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Singapore",
        "title": "Man jailed for pretending to supply gloves and face masks during COVID-19 pandemic, cheating 11 victims of S$3.79m",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/man-jailed-for-pretending-to-supply-gloves-and-face-masks-during-329470",
        "published": "2026-08-07T09:38:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}