A 42-year-old Chinese national has been sentenced to 13 months and two weeks in jail after helping women arrange paid sexual services in Singapore, including assisting a 19-year-old woman who received 70 clients over nine days.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Liu Daodong was also fined S$3,000 after pleading guilty to three charges involving offences under Singapore’s Women’s Charter, including living partly off the earnings of others involved in prostitution. A further 10 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
According to court information reported by Shin Min Daily News, Liu was involved in arranging accommodation, advertisements and appointments for women providing sexual services. He reportedly received commissions from some of the arrangements.
Man allegedly arranged hotel rooms and appointments
The court heard that between May 30 and June 11, 2024, Liu benefited financially from the earnings of a 29-year-old Chinese national involved in prostitution.
In May that year, he also helped arrange for a 19-year-old Chinese national to provide paid sexual services in Singapore. Liu later met the woman at Changi Airport on June 2 after she arrived in the country, knowing the purpose of her visit.
He reportedly helped her obtain a local SIM card and accompanied her to a hotel in Serangoon. Liu then took control of the mobile number used to communicate with clients and arrange appointments, while informing the woman about customers’ arrival times through WeChat.
The woman would subsequently tell Liu when each appointment had been completed, allowing them to keep track of the number of customers.
Liu allegedly earned commissions from clients
Liu reportedly charged a S$40 commission per client he recruited for the 19-year-old woman.
He also assisted with accommodation arrangements. In one case, he received S$35 from a 22-year-old woman after helping her extend her hotel stay using a corporate room rate. He separately received S$140 from another woman for assisting with a hotel extension.
In addition, Liu reportedly received 2,500 yuan, or about S$474, for posting an online advertisement promoting sexual services.
The 19-year-old woman had previously been involved with a prostitution ring in Macau. She reportedly decided to work with Liu after learning that his commission was lower than the S$100 deducted by the previous arrangement.
Woman received 70 clients in nine days
After reaching an agreement with Liu in May 2024, the woman travelled to Singapore on her own expenses. Liu helped her with cheaper accommodation and collected her from Changi Airport.
She subsequently provided paid sexual services between June 3 and June 11, 2024. During those nine days, she reportedly received 70 customers, while Liu collected about S$3,000 in commissions.
Liu also helped promote her services online. He reportedly contacted a website administrator and supplied photographs, age, pricing and other details for an advertisement.
He also paid for a number-search service that placed the woman’s number in a chat group where members could check whether potential customers were known to them.
Police operation leads to arrest
The case came to light during a police operation at a Serangoon hotel on June 11, 2024.
Police arrived at about 6.30pm and arrested Liu together with four women. Items seized during the operation included condoms and lubricants.
Four of the women subsequently admitted to providing paid sexual services at the hotel.
Investigators found that Liu had been responsible for arranging hotel rooms, coordinating appointments, collecting payments and publishing advertisements.
Liu was initially released on bail on July 17, 2024. However, the court later revoked his bail after he breached his conditions by contacting the 19-year-old woman.
He was subsequently detained while awaiting trial before receiving his sentence of 13 months and two weeks’ imprisonment, along with the S$3,000 fine.