A 42-year-old teacher, Geraldine Quek, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for acting on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender. Her involvement stemmed from significant debt accumulated through cryptocurrency investments and a subsequent spiral into borrowing from multiple loan sharks.
The incident began in 2023 when Quek started exploring electronic currencies and borrowed from loan sharks to invest. However, the cryptocurrency market collapsed, leaving her unable to repay four creditors. She found herself in a continuous cycle of borrowing from one lender to pay off another.
In 12/2024, Quek borrowed an additional 600 SGD (12 million VND) from another loan shark kingpin, known only as "Travis Heng." She offered to repay the loan in weekly installments of 100 to 200 SGD. However, Travis Heng claimed the amount had increased due to interest. When Quek attempted to negotiate a repayment schedule, she was sexually harassed by him.
Travis Heng coerced Quek into sending nude photos, threatening further harassment by visiting her home if she did not comply. Quek was forced to obey, but the harassment continued. In late 10/2025, he offered Quek an opportunity to reduce her outstanding debt: by running "errands" for him.
Specifically, Travis Heng informed Quek that he had lent money to many other individuals who had not yet repaid their debts. He provided her with the addresses of these debtors and instructed her to visit their homes to take photos and videos. For each apartment visited, Quek would receive a 10 SGD deduction from her own debt. Travis Heng also demanded that she place threatening notes and debt reminders at the gates of the debtors' homes, to which Quek agreed.
In 11/2025, following Travis Heng's instructions, Quek went as far as purchasing a raw pig trotter, wrapping it in an envelope with a debt note, and leaving it outside a victim's apartment. She carried out this specific act of intimidation three times. Other victims received photos of their national identification cards along with threats, which were sent to their apartments and scattered throughout their neighborhoods.
Quek was arrested on 25/11/2025. During her court hearing on 8/5, the prosecutor acknowledged Quek's "unfortunate circumstances" but emphasized that this did not excuse her actions. Fortunately, no lasting damage occurred to the victims or their property, leading the prosecutor to recommend a sentence of 18-24 months imprisonment.
The court subsequently sentenced Quek to 18 months in prison for seven charges of acting on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender. An additional 12 similar charges are currently under investigation. For each such offense, a perpetrator faces a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine.
The country's Ministry of Education confirmed that Quek had not been part of the teaching staff since March. Her former workplace was not disclosed.
Hai Thu (According to CNA)
