SINGAPORE – A man helped to register SIM cards knowing it was for unlawful uses, becoming a pivotal player in a scam syndicate.

Over a period of four months, he became linked to the registration of 574 SIM cards used to perpetuate scams by helping to recruit runners and middlemen.

Some of the registered SIM cards were later found to be linked to scams in which victims lost around $140,000.

On April 9, Al Hafirqan Al Hadisht, 26, was sentenced to 48 months’ jail.

He had pleaded guilty to six charges of transacting SIM cards registered using another person’s particulars for criminal activity, one for voluntarily causing hurt by using a dangerous weapon, and another for failing to attend court while out on bail.

The court heard 17 other charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

The prosecution said that in April 2025, the Singapore Police Force were conducting investigations into SIM cards being used to make scam calls.

It was revealed that 574 SIM cards had been registered by 22 individuals, but all led back to Hafirqan.

He later admitted that he recruited two teenagers to purchase SIM cards for him between November 2024 and December 2024.

He would pay the two teens for the act, as well as cover the costs of the SIM cards, while the two teens recruited more people through Telegram chat groups.

In mitigation, Hafirqan’s lawyer said that while he knew the SIM cards would be used for unlawful purposes, he was not sure for what exactly.

“His role in this syndicate was to collect the SIM cards and give them to the third party. He should not be labeled as a mastermind behind this scam. He was the middle man as he was receiving instructions from another person,” said his lawyer.

In response, the prosecutor said that it was irrelevant he did not know the purposes for the S...