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Suspected Filipino scammer reveals how Cambodian ring conned Singaporeans

Details of how a Cambodia-based scam syndicate allegedly targeted victims in Singapore through a three-level scheme emerged in court on Wednesday, as a woman went…

By Samantha Johnson / June 4, 2026
Details of how a Cambodia-based scam syndicate allegedly targeted victims in Singapore through a three-level scheme emerged in court on Wednesday, as a woman went on trial over her alleged participation in the operation.

De Villar Rizalyn Panganiban, 35, a Filipino, allegedly belonged to a criminal group that carried out government official impersonation scams, in which victims were tricked into believing their bank accounts had been compromised before being persuaded to transfer money to accounts controlled by scammers.

She was among the 12 people charged in September last year after the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Cambodian national police disrupted the syndicate in a cross-border operation.

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SPF said then that the group is believed to be behind at least 330 reported cases involving losses of over S$40 million (US$31 million). Apart from De Villar, nine Singaporeans and three Malaysians were charged.

De Villar claimed trial to two charges, one for being a member of a locally-linked organised criminal group, and the other for conspiring with others in the group to cheat. She is represented by lawyer Chooi Jing Yen of his eponymous law firm.

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According to court documents setting out facts which both sides agree to, De Villar had been approached by a woman to take a job in Cambodia in March 2025. She thought that she would be working for an online gambling company as an office staff member, with a monthly salary of US$1,500.

Court documents did not specify where De Villar was located when offered the job.

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