In a gripping case from Singapore, a financially desperate father found himself behind bars after accepting a seemingly innocuous offer to withdraw cash for scammers. Yves Quah Jun Boon, aged 24, was lured into a scheme promising him $100 a day—a sum he desperately needed for diapers and milk for his newborn.

On September 5, Quah was handed an eight-month prison sentence after he illegally withdrew over $150,000 from ATMs in just one day back in June 2023. He pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering and violating the Computer Misuse Act.

Quah's financial struggles had been weighing heavily on him, which he often discussed with his childhood friend, Wei Jian. In June, Wei introduced him to a man named Ryan, who presented Quah with an enticing offer: an easy job involving ATM withdrawals, making it sound foolproof as all the cards had the same PIN. Despite feeling something was off, Quah took the bait.

On June 25, in a frenzied spree, Quah hit ATMs at both Woodlands Civic Centre and Ngee Ann City, raking in a staggering $151,280. When faced with an ATM that wouldn't dispense cash, he discarded the card, further implicating himself in the scheme.

After completing his withdrawals, Quah met Siyuan—a key member of the money laundering ring—in a carpark to hand over the cash. To add insult to injury, Siyuan informed him that $120 was missing from the haul and would be deducted from Quah's ‘salary’ for the day, meaning he would walk away with nothing.

Tragedy struck when police, acting on a tip-off, swooped in and arrested Quah, Siyuan, and Wei Jian, seizing the entirety of the cash.

During the sentencing, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Jing Min emphasized Quah's role, describing him not as a mere money mule, but as part of a larger web of crime. She highlighted the serious implications of such actions, as those found guilty of money laundering can face up to 10 years in prison or hefty fines reaching $500,000.

This case serves as a chilling reminder of the lengths some individuals will go to amid financial desperation, unwittingly stepping into the world of crime.