Former Miss Singapore 2017 contestant Ashley Rita Wong Kai Lin was sentenced to jail for six weeks after pleading guilty to using credit and debit cards that didn’t belong to her on several occasions.
The 27-year-old e-games commentator “pleaded guilty in December to four charges under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act, with another 27 charges taken into consideration for sentencing.”
Ashley Rita Wong Kai Lin used her friends’ debit cards
As reported by Channel News Asia, she used her friends’ debit and credit card numbers to make several purchases through online stores. She did not physically take the cards–but instead memorized the numbers while her friends were unaware.
In 2016, she memorized two of her friends’ debit card numbers without their knowledge. A third friend’s account was also compromised, and was a charge taken into consideration.
How did Ashley Rita Wong commit her crimes?
She had “gone out socially” with a 28-year-old man who would become her first victim. She did so after she broke up with her boyfriend. While the victim was out with her, she rifled through the wallet he left on the table they were dining on. He had gone to the washroom, and she had memorized the numbers on his card.
She used his account more than 20 times. When he discovered the unauthorized transactions, she had already used in between August and September 2016. She had spent $304 for tickets, $230 on Lazada and another $196 at an online fashion store.
The first victim disputed one transaction with his bank and got it refunded and she returned the money she used.
The second friend she victimized was 26 years old, and found out she had insufficient balance when she tried to use the card even after her father transferred $1,000. This victim at first suspected that her ex-boyfriend was responsible for the $264 charge paid to Hotel Clover and even confided in Wong about the matter.
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But when the matter of Wong using other people’s accounts came to light, the latter confessed after a confrontation. Ashley Rita Wong Kai Lin admitted to memorizing this friend’s account too.
For this victim’s case, the full amount was refunded to the actual owner of the account and the losses from Hotel Clover recouped. Wong paid the hotel as well.
Prosecution and defense
The prosecutor argued that Wong premeditated and made multiple offenses, since she had to memorize several details like a full ten-digit number, a security code, birthdays, and other details.
The defense lawyer, who was only engaged during sentencing, said that Wong was remorseful and pleaded guilty at once. The psychiatric expert of the court said that Wong was not conclusively suffering from a condition at the time she memorized the numbers.
Who is Ashley Rita Wong?
According to her introduction video for the Miss Singapore pageant in 2017, she used to be a tuition teacher and loved to play online games.
She has posted an apology on her Instagram account on December 24, 2020, detailing that she had paid for the amounts she used. She said that the case has been a sort of relief to her as she sees an end to her suffering.
Header image from Ashley Rita Wong Kai Lin Instagram account
