A former hotel banquet server who disguised himself in black and sneaked into a luxury hotel wedding banquet to steal nearly S$50,000 worth of red packet cash has been sentenced to 12 months in jail.
The 36-year-old Singaporean, Lee Yiwei (transliteration), was also found guilty of placing illegal bets with an unlicensed gambling operator. He pleaded guilty to both charges on 24 June 2025 at the State Courts.
Familiar with Layout, Targeted Wedding Hall
The shocking incident unfolded at the JW Marriott Singapore South Beach, a five-star hotel frequently used for weddings and high-end events. Lee, who was unemployed at the time, had previously worked as a part-time banquet staff at the hotel and was familiar with the venue’s layout and standard wedding procedures, reported Shin Min Daily News
Knowing that guests typically drop off cash-filled red packets at the reception table in the front foyer, Lee arrived at the wedding hall on 5 April 2025 around noon to scout the area. He identified an opportunity to escape through a side door after snatching the red packet collection boxes.
At around 12:49pm, seeing that the reception table was unattended, Lee grabbed two boxes — one white and one blue — containing a total of S$48,939 in wedding cash gifts, and fled through the side exit.
Red Packet Boxes Stashed in Library Locker
A wedding planner noticed the boxes were missing about 10 minutes later. Security footage later revealed a man in black clothing, wearing a black cap and mask, making off with the boxes. Police were called in.
Lee then walked to the back alley near Hainan Street, transferred all the money from the white box into the blue one, and stored the cash-filled box in a locker on the 7th floor of the National Library.
Later, he used S$348 of the stolen wedding money to buy a white outfit from a store at Bugis Village, changing out of his black clothing in an attempt to avoid detection.
He returned to the library, retrieved the remaining cash, disposed of the blue box, and then went to Raffles City Shopping Centre, where he spent S$60 on another new shirt.
Ordered to Repay or Face More Jail Time
Police recovered S$3,000 in cash from Lee when he was eventually caught. In addition to the 12-month jail sentence, the judge ordered Lee to repay S$45,939 to the newlywed couple by 31 July 2025. If he fails to do so, he faces an additional 100 days in prison.
This case has sparked online discussion, especially given the boldness of stealing wedding red packets at a luxury hotel in broad daylight. The act not only devastated a couple on their big day but also raised questions about event security protocols at high-end venues in Singapore.