Singapore Court Sentences Six Over $4.9 Million Crypto Poker Heist

The High Court proceedings concluded with prison terms ranging from seven to nearly 13 years, alongside mandatory caning for most of the defendants. The operation was orchestrated by Wong Chi San, 35, and Goh Boon Tong, 30, who identified the King Albert Park property as a target after learning that poker games there were frequently settled with digital assets. On April 18, 2024, the pair led a group of seven masked men, armed with machetes and baseball bats, to storm the home. Once inside, they restrained 11 victims and forced them to unlock their phones to facilitate large-scale cryptocurrency transfers.

Justice Aidan Xu characterized the crime as an audacious violation of public security. While the robbery netted S$4.9 million, police have recovered only S$1.69 million, leaving the majority of the stolen property unaccounted for. Wong and Goh received the most severe sentences—12 years and 11 months, 24 strokes of the cane, and S$4,000 fines each—reflecting their roles as the architects of the heist. A seventh suspect, Muhammad Yusuf Kassim, remains at large and is believed to have fled to Thailand. The incident underscores a growing trend of physical "wrench attacks" targeting crypto holders, with recent industry data suggesting such violent home invasions are becoming an increasingly common method for illicitly accessing digital wallets.