A Singaporean faith leader, Woo May Hoe, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for swindling millions of dollars from her followers and using violent punishments to discipline them. Woo convinced 30 followers that she was a deity and defrauded them of over $10 million, claiming the money would rid them of “bad karma”. She also used funds for nonexistent spiritual purposes and punished disobedient followers with extreme methods such as caning, forced consumption of feces, and tooth extraction.
Despite being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Woo was found to be aware of the illegal nature of her actions. The prosecutors highlighted the devastating impact of her crimes on her followers, leading to financial ruin and permanent disability. This rare case of cult-like crime in Singapore highlights the dangers of manipulation and exploitation in religious settings.
In a separate incident, Singapore police arrested 21 members of South Korea’s Shincheonji Church of Jesus for being part of an unlawful society, punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine of $3,700 under Singaporean law.
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