SAF specialist jailed for conspiring to cheat casino

SINGAPORE: An army specialist has been sentenced to two years’ jail for conspiring with four accomplices to cheat Marina Bay Sands of nearly S$150,000 between July and August last year.

Toh Kaida, 29, who was suspended by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), had admitted earlier this month to 19 charges of cheating.

The prosecution proceeded on five charges.

Court documents showed that the mastermind was Ho Boon Keat, 29, who was then working at the casino as a surveillance operator.

Ho’s accomplices would stake out at the tables of the game, Sic Bo, when he was on duty.

Sic Bo is a game where three dice are rolled and gamblers can win up to 180 times their bet if all the dice display the same number.

Then an accomplice would claim to have placed a bet of S$25 after a triple appeared.

The pit manager would call Ho to check video footage for confirmation and Ho would lie and say the bet had been placed.

In mitigation, defence counsel for Toh, Mr Josephus Tan, said his client had made restitution of S$10,000 to the casino.

The amount was Toh’s share of the criminal proceeds.

So far, three other accomplices have been dealt with.

Ho was sentenced to three years’ jail, 28—year—old Ang Chee Peng received a jail term of two—and—a—half years while 25—year—old Benson Ho received a jail sentence of one year and two months.

— CNA/ck