Former Wah!Banana Actor Panfilov Found Guilty of Raping Tinder Match after Script Discussion in His Bedroom

Lev Panfilov, a 28-year-old Singapore permanent resident from Russia and former scriptwriter-actor with local YouTube comedy channel Wah!Banana, was convicted by the High Court on 21 March 2025 for sexually assaulting a woman he met on the dating app Tinder.

Panfilov was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault by penetration, and one count of outrage of modesty. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Tinder Match Led to Script Discussion and Assault

The assault occurred on 12 January 2021 in Panfilov’s bedroom after he brought the victim, a 30-year-old actress and model looking to branch into comedy writing, to his shared flat under the pretext of working on her script.

The pair initially matched on Tinder before moving their conversation to WhatsApp and arranging to meet at Wine Connection restaurant in Robertson Quay.

The victim testified that she had matched with Panfilov specifically because his Tinder profile stated he was a writer or scriptwriter, and she hoped to get advice from him. She also verified his connection to Wah!Banana by checking YouTube.

According to CNA, they worked on her script until closing time around 10pm, when Panfilov suggested continuing at his condominium. The woman agreed, and they headed to his unit, which he shared with his roommates.

In his bedroom, they sat on his bed due to the cluttered room, watched videos of comedians, and discussed comedic characters and principles.

The victim testified that Panfilov suddenly leaned in and kissed her on the lips despite her saying “no” and attempting to gather her things to leave. He then sexually assaulted and raped her on his bed.

After the assault, Panfilov asked for her address and booked a Gojek for her to return home.

Delayed Reporting and Court Proceedings

The victim experienced pain in her lower abdominal region and sought medical attention on 16 January 2021. A doctor advised her to make a police report.

Though she spoke to several police officers at a neighbourhood police centre that same day, she left without filing a report.

It was only after her mother saw her crying in her room around midnight on 18 January 2021 that she disclosed what happened. Her mother took her to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where a police report was filed.

The woman explained her delay in reporting, saying she was initially unsure if she would be believed since the assault happened behind closed doors without witnesses. She also mentioned feeling discouraged after reading about low conviction rates for sexual assault cases.

Panfilov’s Account of the Incident

Panfilov did not deny having sex with the woman but claimed the encounter was consensual. He alleged she made the first advances by laughing at his jokes, tapping his leg, and stroking his thigh.

The trial began in May 2023, with the victim being cross-examined for an “unprecedented” 13 days, according to prosecution submissions.

The defence attempted to cast doubt on her account by questioning why she gave her address to her alleged rapist and why she delayed seeking medical attention and reporting the matter.

On 21 March 2025, High Court Judge Pang Khang Chau delivered the guilty verdict, finding the woman to be “an unusually convincing witness” who provided a detailed and consistent account. The judge accepted her explanations for the issues raised by the defence.

In contrast, Judge Pang found Panfilov was not a credible witness, noting significant inconsistencies between his statements to police officers, his video-recorded interviews, and his court testimony.

The judge interpreted these inconsistencies as Panfilov’s attempt to distance himself from the events of that evening.

If convicted of rape or sexual assault by penetration, Panfilov faces up to 20 years in jail and possible caning. For molestation, he could receive up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, caning, or a combination of these punishments.