22 year-old You Hyeon Ho was sentenced to 6 weeks jail after he pleaded guilty to 27 counts of stealing casino chips on more than 200 occasions at the Marina Bay Sands casinos. Another 245 charges were taken into consideration during the sentencing.
In all, he stole S$6,300 worth of casino chips in October last year before he was caught.
You, a 3rd year economics major at the Singapore Management University (SMU) committed the offences at the Sic-Bo tables at MBS between 1st and 22nd October.
He would dishonestly shift other patron's wagers or remove their wages from betting boxes before the result of the game.
You was caught on 22nd October after he shifted a S$5 cash chip belonging to a male patron, causing the latter to lose.
You’s defense lawyer Jonathan Wong said the offences his client had committed were “completely out of character”. He pointed out that You had an exemplary academic track record in “reputable and esteemed institutions”, such as Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).
Mr Wong argued that You was suffering from depression, which resulted in “cognitive distortions and errors of judgment”. He added that You was also facing an enormous amount of stress and emotional instability following his father’s bankruptcy last year. His parents returned to South Korea, leaving You and his younger brother in Singapore.
Deputy public prosecutor Francis Zhang rubbished the defense's claims, stating that there was “no causal link” between You’s condition and his offences.
While District Judge Lim Tse Haw said he took into consideration that this was You’s first conviction and his good academic track record, he could not ignore the aggravating factors where You had gone on a “stealing spree” in the casino.
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