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YouTuber Dee Kosh guilty of offering minor money for sex acts

Singaporean YouTuber Darryl Ian Koshy, also known as Dee Kosh. (PHOTO: Dee Kosh / Facebook)
Singaporean YouTuber Darryl Ian Koshy, also known as Dee Kosh. (PHOTO: Dee Kosh / Facebook)

SINGAPORE — Local deejay and YouTuber Dee Kosh pleaded guilty at the State Courts on Monday (30 May) to trying to procure an indecent act from a 15-year-old victim.

He also pled guilty to communicating with a 17-year-old victim to obtain sexual services, and making an obscene video by filming sexual acts with a 24-year-old victim without the latter's consent.

The 33-year-old Singaporean, whose real name is Darryl Ian Koshy, is expected to be sentenced on 28 July. He was charged with the offences in August 2021, and had previously indicated that he would plead guilty.

Four other similar charges will be considered in sentencing.

About the case

Koshy is a former radio host with local radio station Power 98. Multiple police reports were filed against him following a series of sexual harassment allegations on Instagram and Twitter in August 2020.

Investigations revealed that he had offered money in exchange for sex to victims, including those below 18 years of age, between 2017 and 2020.

He even offered one victim $2,000 for allowing Koshy to perform a sexual act on him. Only one victim acceded to his requests.

Koshy would first befriend his victims and ascertain their ages on social media. At the time that the matter came to light, he had about 224,000 followers on Instagram and some 379,000 subscribers on YouTube.

In March 2018, Koshy offered the 15-year-old victim up to $250 for the latter to perform a sexual act. He later also offered money to the victim for sex. The victim declined all the offers.

Koshy also made indecent proposals to the 17-year-old victim, offering up to $2,000 for the victim to let Koshy perform a sexual act on him in February 2017.

Meanwhile, Koshy performed a sexual act on the 24-year-old victim in Koshy's bedroom sometime in 2016.

Thereafter, the victim would engage in sexual acts with Koshy, both paid and unpaid. But on at least one occasion, Koshy filmed them engaging in sexual acts without the victim's knowledge and consent.

The maximum punishment for trying to procure an indecent act from a young person is a fine of up to $10,000 and up to five years' jail.

For communicating for the purpose of obtaining for consideration the sexual services of a minor under 18, Koshy faces up to two years' jail and a fine.

The maximum penalty for making an obscene film is a fine of up to $40,000 and up to two years' jail.

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