TAWAU: Twenty-seven Chinese nationals, including a woman, and a Vietnamese woman, were fined for charges related to a love scam and online investment fraud involving the sale of daily-use products targeting Korean nationals earlier this month.
The 28, aged between 21 and 51, pleaded guilty separately before Magistrate Dayang Aidaku Amira Aminuddin and Magistrate Don Stiwin Malanjum.
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Sixteen of them, namely Liu Yang, Chen Jianjun, Yang Peimin, Rao Yucai, Xiong Chen, Shi Rui, Zhang Yang, Guo Cong, Han Qingguan, Tian Han, Zheng Huyun, Chen Wenxing, Zhou Jinhui, Dong Peilin, Zhou Neng and Yu Yuexing, were each fined RM5,000 or two months’ imprisonment.
Another 12, including two women identified as Bui Thi Hue (a Vietnamese national), Xiu Chunlei, Liu Qingdong, Lei Ou, Chen Penghui, Tu Zhengzhi, Lin Xianjian, Tian Liansheng, Sun Yule, Han Hui and Yuan Meng, were each fined RM5,000 or four months’ imprisonment.
All of them were also ordered to be referred to the Immigration Department after paying the fines or serving their jail sentences.
During the proceedings, the court made the decision after considering a plea bargain application under Section 172(C) of the Criminal Procedure Code, which had been agreed upon between the accused persons and the prosecution with the consent of their defence counsel.
Earlier, all of them told the court they understood the charges and pleaded guilty after the charge sheets were read out in Mandarin in two separate courtrooms.
All 28 accused were charged with acting in furtherance of a common intention in a criminal conspiracy to commit an unlawful act, namely deceiving victims through a love scam and investment fraud involving the sale of daily-use products targeting Korean nationals.
The offence, contrary to Section 420 of the Penal Code, was allegedly committed at four bungalow houses in Indah Regency, Bandar Sri Indah (BSI) Batu 10, Jalan Apas, at about 9.20am on May 6, 2026.
The charge under Section 120B(2) of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code carries a penalty of imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Earlier, counsel Choong Wen Shan, representing all the 28, requested the court to impose a sentence in line with the plea bargain application, taking into account that this was their first offence and that they had promised not to repeat it.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Nisla Abd Latif urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence on all the 27, as the offence involved a criminal conspiracy to commit fraud.
She said all the accused were found to be involved in a syndicate that carried out fraudulent activities as their source of income.
In Sabah alone, she said, this was the third case involving the same or similar offences to be prosecuted within two months, with two of the cases charged in Tawau.
