In a shocking case of deceit and extortion, a Singaporean woman has been sentenced to 19 months’ imprisonment after admitting to extorting over S$70,000 from her lover. The 35-year-old woman, Nur Hidayah, had claimed that she needed the money for an abortion, leading her lover to comply with her demands. However, it was later revealed that Hidayah had never sought any medical treatment related to the alleged pregnancy.
How it Started
The saga began in early 2018 when Hidayah and her 39-year-old victim, who were both married, met on the dating app Tinder. Their relationship developed, and they engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse in September of the same year. The following month, Hidayah sent her lover a picture of a positive pregnancy test and informed him that she was carrying his child. They agreed that she would undergo an abortion, and the victim would cover the expenses.
Over the next few months, Hidayah repeatedly asked her lover for money, citing medical treatment and procedures required for the abortion. She requested funds on 32 occasions, ultimately amounting to S$71,968.95. However, Hidayah never visited any medical facility for treatment, leaving her victim unaware of her deceptive actions.
Luxury Splurges and Manipulation Tactics
Investigations later revealed that Hidayah had spent some of the extorted money on personal expenses, including flights, hotel accommodations, and luxury purchases from retail outlets. Bank statements showed transactions at popular stores like NTUC FairPrice, Sephora, and Uniqlo and on online platforms like Foodpanda, Honestbee, Grab, and Spotify.
To further manipulate her victim, Hidayah threatened to expose their affair to his wife on multiple occasions if he did not comply with her demands. As a result, an additional S$14,032 was transferred to her.
The situation escalated when Hidayah used her husband’s email address to send a threatening message to her victim, demanding S$25,000. Subsequently, she requested S$455 and threatened to reveal the affair to family members. Distressed and cornered, the victim reported the extortion case to the Orchard Neighbourhood Police Centre on April 17, 2019.
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Restitution, Charges, and Sentencing
During the court proceedings, Hidayah made a restitution payment of S$5,000 to the victim, but no further payments were made. It was also revealed that the authenticity of Hidayah’s pregnancy claim could not be verified during the investigation.
Hidayah was charged with one count of extortion, with six additional charges taken into consideration. Her lawyer sought a jail term of 14 to 16 months, emphasizing her admission of guilt and the fact that this was her first offense. However, the prosecution argued for a sentence of 20 months, taking into account the substantial amount of money involved and the relatively small restitution payment.
Ultimately, the court sentenced Hidayah to 19 months in prison, considering her plea of guilt. This case serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers and consequences associated with online relationships and the importance of exercising caution and skepticism, even when dealing with personal matters.
