Singaporean Sim Bing Rui, 25, wanted to increase his chances on OkCupid dating app, so he made up a fake profile under the name "Jay." He used photos of a guy he felt was considered handsome by females.
He would message women on the app under the guise of Jay, then eventually meet up with them in person and record them participating in sexual behavior with their knowledge and permission.
Sim's Crime
According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), Sim, acting as Jay, threatened to distribute pornographic images and videos of his 19-year-old victim via the messaging app Telegram and with her friends unless she had sex with him.
The Singaporean court sentenced the guy behind the Jay persona to 16 weeks in prison on Friday, Nov. 25, for blackmailing.
The defendant was also found guilty of coercing the minor into performing a sexual act with him, which was considered when determining the severity of the sentence.
To preserve the victim's privacy, she will remain nameless.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Niranjan Ranjakunalan told the court that Sim had two accounts on the dating app OkCupid. One was under the name "Jay," which was not his real name but was a moniker his friends knew him by, and another was under the name "Zavier," which was his genuine identity.
The 2020 Encounter
Using his fictitious identity, Sim contacted the 19-year-old on July 22, 2020, and inquired whether she would be willing to engage in a sexual act with him. She consented but eventually refused sexual intercourse because she felt uneasy.
Sim, posing as Jay, even persuaded the girl to send him a nude photo of herself, which she did, providing him with a picture of her face and bare chest. And so they made plans to get together the next day.
Sim used Jay's Telegram profile to tell the girl he could not meet her because his parents were at home and instead suggested meeting Zavier, who was his real identity.
Disguised as Jay, Sim assured the girl that he would pay a visit to Zavier and her sometime later, and she accepted.
On Jul. 25, 2020, Sim pretended to be Jay and promised her that he would remove the picture of her bare chest and the first video of her that Zavier captured if they had sex.
He then emailed her the film with the threat that he would post it in a Telegram chat group where people trade personal footage of their sexual partners if she did not have sex with him or have a threesome with him and Zavier.
See Also: Dating App Guide: How to Change Your Location in Tinder, Bumble, and Hinger [2022]
Police Investigation
As per SCMP's report, prosecutor Niranjan said that the defendant threatened the victim because he intended to cause her to dread and worry about getting back at her for what he regarded to be an unsatisfactory sexual experience. Also, he was reportedly frustrated after fighting with another female who had neglected him.
During their inquiry, authorities discovered the two films Sim had taken of the teenager on his laptop. Though, he had not shown anybody any pictures or videos of her.
Lawyer B Rajendraprasad from Regent Law, who represents Sim, pleaded with the judge to have mercy on his client.
Sim faced possible caning, fines, and prison time of up to five years.
See Also: Optus Data Breach: Sydney Teenager Pleads Guilty to Blackmailing Nearly 100 Individuals
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Written by Trisha Kae Andrada
