A 27-year-old Chinese national named Yang Fei was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 9, to four weeks in jail after he pleaded guilty to a charge of cheating by personation.

Fei was accused of stealing his co-worker's TraceTogether token to gain access to malls in Singapore. 

Although he was vaccinated against COVID-19, his token did not reflect his status since he was vaccinated in China. He did not update his vaccination status at the National Immunization Registry. 

Man Sentenced for Stealing TraceTogether Token

According to The Straits Times, Fei tried to bribe his co-worker with $100 in cash and a pack of cigarettes when his co-worker reported him to the police. He also tried to persuade his co-worker to flee to Malaysia. 

Fei flew to Singapore in 2021 and worked at Fuxiang Technology, a semiconductor supplier. He received the Sinovac vaccine before he traveled, but his TraceTogether token did not reflect his vaccination status. 

Since he failed to update his vaccination records, he was not allowed to enter any establishments where vaccination-differentiated safe management measures were in place. 

Also Read: Apple and Google's Contract COVID-19 Tracing Apps Cannot Be Mandatory, Silicon Valley Claims 

How Fei Stole the TraceTogether Token

In December 2021, Fei met his 19-year-old co-worker Wan Meng. They went to Marina Bay Sands, where Wan let Fei use his TraceTogether token. 

Fei then continued using Wan's token multiple times, like going to the mall to eat. 

When Fei stopped returning Wan's calls, the 19-year-old filed a police report saying that Fei stole his token. 

The police interviewed Fei, who was told he was being investigated for cheating by personation. After he was released, Fei met up with Wan and bribed him with $100 in cash and a pack of cigarettes, according to Today Online. 

Fei tried to persuade Wan to escape to Malaysia since the police investigation won't push through if one of them was not present. 

The 27-year-old man revealed that he could have escaped to Malaysia himself, but the police impounded his passport. 

Fei did not realize that Wan had recorded their entire conversation on his phone, and he immediately went to the police station to report the incident. 

In January, District Judge Lim Sze Haw sentenced Fei to four weeks in jail after he pleaded guilty to cheating by personation.

The judge said that the reason why the harm intended by Fei did not materializes was not because he withdrew his offer but because Wan refused to accept it. 

Wan will also face sentencing later as he is accused of obstructing the course of justice. If proven guilty, he can be jailed for up to seven years and fined. 

What is TraceTogether?

TraceTogether is a digital system implemented by the government of Singapore to make contact tracing easier and faster. The system was launched in 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The main goal of the system is to identify the people who may have come into close contact with those who tested positive for COVID-19. 

According to CNA, the Singaporean government allowed its citizens to deactivate the system in early 2022 when COVID-19 cases decreased.  

Related Article: Is Coronavirus App Safe? How Australia's COVIDSafe App Certifies Safety on Users' Personal Data 

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Written by Sophie Webster