A former business analyst, Hee Lic Yuan, has been sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, along with six strokes of the cane, for exploiting 31 girls and young women between 2019 and 2021. His actions included manipulating some victims into providing sexual services and explicit images under false pretences and promises of payment.
Details of the Offences
Hee, who is now 32 years old, committed his crimes while presenting himself as a wealthy man seeking “sugar babies”—younger individuals offering companionship and sexual services in exchange for money. He exploited the vulnerabilities of victims aged between 13 and 22 years old, targeting them primarily via social media.
Judicial Sentencing
- He pleaded guilty to 15 charges, including sexual penetration of a minor and producing child sexual abuse material.
- In total, 44 additional charges were considered during the sentencing.
- Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Jing Min emphasised the seriousness of his offences, advocating for a harsher sentence of up to 107 months.
The Victims
The court revealed that Hee’s victims were often misguided by the prospect of monetary gain. For example, one victim, identified as V2, was offered $150 for explicit photos but later was coerced into sexual acts.
In his manipulative interactions, Hee resorted to threats, coercing some victims into silence with promises of financial reward while holding their intimate images over them as leverage.
Awareness and Arrest
His illicit activities came to light in March 2021 following a report from one of the victims, finally leading to Hee’s arrest. During the proceedings, Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong highlighted the number of victims affected, stating that the defendant’s actions were premeditated and egregiously harmful.
This case underlines the critical need for vigilance in safeguarding the youth from online exploitation and calls for greater awareness regarding the perils associated with financial relationships facilitated through social media.