SINGAPORE, Feb 6: Thevendran Elan Goven, a 31-year-old Indian-origin man, was sentenced to 23 months in jail on Thursday for cheating a 25-year-old woman out of over SGD 268,000 via Singapore’s Carousell online marketplace, The Straits Times reported.
Thevendran pleaded guilty to one count of cheating, with two others considered during sentencing. He initiated the scam in July 2021 by listing a PlayStation 4, convincing the victim to pay a SGD 150 deposit followed by SGD 199 balance—neither item delivered.
Building false trust through WhatsApp chats and calls, he exploited her vulnerability post her mother’s death, extracting SGD 246,000+ over 48 occasions from August to December 2021. Fabricated excuses included funding a “court case,” dental bills, supplier payments, and even his dog’s illness. Funds fueled his personal expenses and gambling debts.
Even after she exhausted her insurance and CPF payouts, telling him she’d given all her money, Thevendran persisted. The fraud surfaced when her father reported missing funds from his account.
He later made partial restitution: SGD 24,000 in July 2024 and SGD 80,000 in June 2025. District Judge Janet Wang highlighted the severe psychological and financial trauma inflicted on the victim before imposing the sentence.
