A long-standing debt turned violent when a Singaporean man confronted someone who had owed him S$10,000 for two years. The heated altercation ended with one man behind bars — and another already facing a separate slew of criminal charges, including sham marriage offences and scam-linked money laundering.
Two-Year Loan Dispute Turns Ugly at Poker Game
On 2 May 2024, 30-year-old Toh Xin Ann crossed paths with Goh Cheng Feng during a poker game hosted by a mutual friend. The two had first met in 2018 through the poker scene, and in 2022, Goh had borrowed S$10,000 from Toh with a verbal agreement to repay S$500 per month, reported Shin Min Daily News
However, Goh made only one payment before disappearing — effectively ghosting Toh for nearly two years. Their unexpected reunion at the game reopened old wounds.
At about 1am, the pair stepped out onto a balcony, where Toh asked about the remaining S$9,500 owed. Goh claimed he could only repay S$1,500, but Toh didn’t buy the excuse. When he requested to check Goh’s crossbody bag and was refused, he reacted violently — punching Goh multiple times.
Toh then entered a room, returned with a pair of scissors, and brandished them at Goh while demanding the bag. Goh, fearing for his safety, complied. Toh found S$5,000 inside and took it before heading straight to Resorts World Sentosa Casino.
Police were alerted shortly after, and Toh was arrested with S$3,400 still on him. He has since pleaded guilty to one count of criminal intimidation.
Court Sentences Toh, But Acknowledges Scissors Not “Dangerous Weapon”
On 25 July 2025, the court handed Toh a one-month jail sentence. While prosecutors argued for six to eight weeks, they acknowledged that the scissors were not used in a way that posed extreme danger.
Toh’s lawyer noted that her client had been emotionally triggered due to Goh’s prolonged disappearance and failure to repay the loan. She argued that Toh had covered most of the scissor blades in his grip and only wanted access to the bag rather than to inflict harm.
The judge, however, considered the sequence of events — including the initial physical assault — as aggravating factors, ultimately concluding that a custodial sentence was warranted.
Goh Faces Jail Time for Sham Marriages, Scam Involvement
Ironically, Goh himself wasn’t exactly a law-abiding citizen. Days earlier, on 21 July, he pleaded guilty to seven of 19 charges in a separate case that involved fake marriages, misuse of Singpass credentials, and money laundering.
In 2023, Goh entered into a sham marriage with a Vietnamese woman under a scheme orchestrated by a man named Jason. The idea was to help her stay in Singapore through fraudulent immigration sponsorships in exchange for financial compensation. When the long-term visit pass failed to materialise, the marriage was annulled.
He attempted a second sham marriage in 2024, which also failed. On top of that, he falsely declared employment to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and allowed his bank accounts to be used to channel over S$440,000 linked to scams.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) arrested him in June 2024, and the court sentenced him to 20 months and six weeks in jail, along with an S$18,000 fine.
Loans, Violence & Fraud: A Snapshot of Rising Financial Crime
This case underscores the potential dangers tied to informal lending, gambling, and the darker side of Singapore’s underground debt ecosystem. The escalating confrontation between lender and borrower — ending in threats, physical assault, and gambling — reflects deeper social issues like financial desperation, unregulated loans, and illegal gambling networks.
Meanwhile, Goh’s broader criminal conduct demonstrates how loopholes in immigration and digital identity systems can be exploited, with far-reaching consequences for both individuals and national security.