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4 men charged over Telegram group called 'Sam’s lots of CB Collection'

Yee Wing Kay (left) and Lincoln Anthony Fernandez, two of the men who were charged on Wednesday (28 July) for their alleged involvement in the
Yee Wing Kay (left) and Lincoln Anthony Fernandez, two of the men who were charged on Wednesday (28 July) for their alleged involvement in the "Sam’s lots of CB Collection" Telegram group. (PHOTOS: Wan Ting Koh / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE — Four men were charged in court on Wednesday (28 July) over their alleged involvement in a Telegram chat group called “Sam’s lots of CB Collection” that circulated sexually explicit content.

Wong Ming Jun, 28, Lincoln Anthony Fernandez, 30, Tan Yeow Chong, 40, and Yee Wing Kay, 46, were each handed charges under the Films Act and under the Penal Code for transmitting or possessing obscene material.

Wong was handed six charges of possessing 1,880 obscene images in six different devices, and five charges of possessing a total of 2,406 obscene videos across five devices at a flat in Jurong West.

Meanwhile, Tan was handed one charge of sending six obscene images to the chat group on 4 November 2019, and three charges of possessing 7,713 explicit images across three devices. He also has three charges of possessing 19,932 illicit video files in three devices that were found in a Bukit Merah flat.

Yee was handed three charges of transmitting four obscene videos and one picture to the group on unknown dates. He was also charged with four counts of possessing 72 obscene images in four devices, and three counts of possessing 18 illicit videos in three devices found at flat in Bishan.

Fernandez received four charges of transmitting seven explicit images to the group on unknown dates and 15 October 2019. He also faces one charge each of possessing 406 obscene images and possessing 118 obscene films at a Yishun flat.

Wong, Fernandez and Tan are Singaporeans while Yee is a Malaysian and a permanent resident in Singapore. All four will have their cases mentioned again on 25 August.

The Singapore Police Force said that the Telegram group contained leaked sexual videos and images of women, nude or scantily-dressed, or in compromising positions. There were also videos of women in sexual acts, circulated without consent, said the police.

The authority received a report against the group on 24 October 2019 and arrested the four men responsible for the upkeep of the channel and the distribution of the obscene contents on 6 November 2019. Preliminary investigations showed that Tan, Yee and Fernandez were believed to be administrators of the group, while Wong had allegedly advertised the sale of the obscene materials.

After the groups's arrest, their electronic devices were seized and thousands of obscene media were uncovered via forensic examination.

The police consulted the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which concurred in mid-July 2021 to charge all four men with multiple charges of possession of obscene films and transmission of obscene materials.

The police added that it took a very serious view of the sexual exploitation of women through illegal chat groups. It advised the public not to join these groups and report them to the authorities.

The case is the second involving a Telegram chat group whose administrators have faced the law for transmitting and circulating obscene material of women.

The first known group, "SG Nasi Lemak", was created in November 2018 and had a membership of over 44,000 before four of its administrators were arrested on 14 October 2019. They have since been dealt with by the court.

If convicted of possessing obscene films, each man may be jailed up to six months or fined up to $20,000, or both. The offence of transmitting obscene materials or possessing an obscene image carries a jail term of up to three months, a fine, or both.

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