A 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty on 3 Sep 2025 to charges under the Computer Misuse Act for stealing $91,149 from his father’s Central Provident Fund account and insurance policies.
The teenager, who cannot be named due to the Children and Young Persons Act, committed the offences when he was 16 years old.
Teen Exploits Banking Access to Drain Father’s CPF and Insurance Funds
Since 2023, the victim had trusted his son to help with online banking tasks. The father regularly asked his son to make premium payments on insurance policies and check his CPF account balance, among other banking matters.
The teen gained access to his father’s login credentials through this arrangement. He knew exactly how much money his father held in his CPF account and the details of his insurance policies.
Between 2023 and 2024, the son regularly assisted with mobile app payments. His responsibilities included applying for online banking services, making monthly premium payments for three insurance policies, and monitoring CPF accounts.
Elaborate Scheme Unfolds Through Multiple Unauthorised Transactions
In August 2024, the teen made two unauthorised withdrawals totaling $25,370 from his father’s CPF ordinary and special accounts. Deputy Public Prosecutor Foo Yang Yi told the court the teen had initially logged into the CPF account using his father’s mobile phone to check if money had been deposited.
The teen spotted a notification explaining how to transfer money out of the CPF account. This prompted him to make the unauthorised withdrawals.
The teenager also accessed his father’s Income Insurance account using his own mobile phone. He applied for at least three loans exceeding $68,000 against his father’s insurance policies without permission.
After the money from both the CPF withdrawals and insurance loans was deposited into the father’s bank account, the teen transferred the entire $91,149 to his own account via PayNow.
The scheme came to light when the father’s niece helped him review his insurance policies. The father discovered money had been transferred from his account to his son’s account and filed a police report in February 2025.
The teen was arrested on the same day the police report was made. During investigations, he admitted to the offences and revealed he had spent the money on multiple fishing trips and an overseas holiday to South Korea in August 2024.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing Delayed for Assessment Reports
On 29 Aug 2025, the teen was handed three charges under the Computer Misuse Act 1993. He pleaded guilty to the charge of accessing computer material with intent to commit or facilitate commission of an offence. The court took the other two charges into consideration.
The prosecutor highlighted that the offences involved a serious abuse of trust. The teen had “exploited this knowledge” of his father’s online banking details after gaining the information through legitimate assistance.
Defence lawyer Mr Paul of Cross Street Chambers described his client’s actions as foolish. “He was stupid, as he confesses, and went on this childish exuberance and went travelling,” Mr Paul said. The lawyer, who goes by only one name, added that his client had “behaved himself” since the incidents and had “wised up and matured.”
The prosecutor proposed reformative training as the preferred option, arguing it would provide the young offender with both rehabilitation and deterrence. The judge called for both a probation suitability report and a reformative training suitability report.
No restitution has been made at the time of the court proceedings. However, the father and son have reached an agreement that the teenager will return the stolen money once he begins working.
The sentencing has been adjourned to October 2025.
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